A CL700 NOSE GEAR WOULD NOT RETRACT AFTER TAKE OFF WITH THE GEAR PIN INSTALLED FOR TOWING AND NOT DISCOVERED DURING THE FLIGHT CREW PREFLT INSPECTION.

Narrative

AFTER TKOF; NOSE GEAR WOULD NOT RETRACT. CREW RECEIVED 'GEAR DISAGREE' MASTER WARNING WHILE CLBING THROUGH 500 FT AGL. CREW PERFORMED REQUIRED CHKLIST ITEMS CALLING FOR THE EXTENSION OF THE LNDG GEAR AND SUBSEQUENT RETURN TO ARPT. AFTER CONFIRMING THAT ACFT HAD GEAR DOWN AND LOCKED INDICATION; CREW MADE NORMAL LNDG. AFTER ACFT RETURNED TO THE GATE AND WAS PROPERLY SHUT DOWN AND SECURED; FO INSPECTED NOSE GEAR BAY AND DISCOVERED A NOSE GEAR PIN INSERTED WITH RED FLAG WRAPPED TIGHTLY AROUND PIN. COMPANY MAINT PERSONNEL PERFORMED INSPECTION AND SUBSEQUENTLY SIGNED ACFT OFF FOR RETURN TO SVC. ACFT THEN DEPARTED FOR DEST WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT. THIS IS A MAINT FACILITY WHERE ACFT HAVE REQUIRED MAINT DURING OVERNIGHTS. THIS ACFT HAD APPARENTLY BEEN TOWED OVER TO THE MAINT FACILITY THE PRIOR EVENING; AND THEN RETURNED BACK TO THE GATE PRIOR TO CREW ARR AT XA15 AM. MAINT PERSONNEL HAD INSERTED NOSE GEAR PIN FOR TOWING AND NOT REMOVED PIN UPON COMPLETION OF ACFT REPOSITION. THE NOSE GEAR PIN FLAG HAD BEEN WRAPPED AROUND THE PIN INSTEAD OF LEFT DANGLING TO BE NOTICED. DUE TO POS OF NOSE GEAR PIN AT REAR OF NOSE GEAR STRUT; THE PIN LOCATION IS VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE IN LOW LIGHT CONDITIONS ESPECIALLY IF THE NOSE GEAR PIN FLAG IS NOT LEFT DANGLING FREELY. FO DID NOT NOTICE THE PIN INSERTED WHILE PERFORMING ACFT PREFLT DUE TO PIN LOCATION AND NO NOTICEABLE FLAG LEFT DANGLING.