A B767-300ER WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE NOSE LNDG GEAR PINNED IN THE DOWN POS. FLT RETURNED TO THE FIELD FOR PIN REMOVAL.

Narrative

FLT ON OCT/MON/02 TOOK OFF FROM ZZZ AND COULD NOT RETRACT THE NOSE GEAR. THIS RESULTED IN AN AIR TURN-BACK. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE NOSE GEAR DOWN LOCK PIN WAS STILL INSTALLED. THE PIN WAS REMOVED AND ACFT RETURNED TO SVC. ON COMPLETION OF THE LAYOVER CHK THE NIGHT BEFORE THIS FLT; I PERFORMED A FINAL WALKAROUND INSPECTION TO LOOK FOR ANY PANELS/DOORS; TIRE DAMAGE; AND REMOVED GEAR PINS. ANOTHER AMT SIGNED THE BLOCK ON THE LAYOVER CHK FOR REMOVING THE GEAR PINS. I SIGNED THE BLOCK FOR VERIFYING THEY WERE REMOVED. JUST PRIOR TO THIS; THE ACFT WAS MOVED FROM SPOT X TO GATE. I BELIEVE THAT THE 'REMOVE BEFORE FLT' FLAG HAD BEEN BLOWN UP OVER THE GEAR TO WHERE I COULDN'T SEE IT FROM THE GND. APPARENTLY; THE MECH DOING THE PREDEP CHK AND THE FLC DURING THEIR WALKAROUND DID NOT SEE IT EITHER. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 561962: ACFT X ARRIVED IN ZZZ DURING SECOND SHIFT. SECOND SHIFT STARTED THE LAYOVER AND PUT THE GEAR PINS INTO THE ACFT. MYSELF AND 2 OTHER MECHS WERE ASSIGNED TO THE ACFT BY THE PREVIOUS SHIFT. I WAS WORKING IN THE E&E BAY. SINCE THE ACFT WAS NOT AT A GATE; I WAS GAINING ACCESS TO THE E&E CTR THROUGH THE FLOOR IN THE CABIN. WHILE I WAS ON THE GND; I DECIDED I WOULD SAVE MYSELF A TRIP AND PULLED THE MAIN GEAR PINS. I FORGOT TO PULL THE NOSE PIN.