A B717-200 ON GEAR RETRACTION GOT RED UNSAFE LIGHT AND NOISE FROM NOSE GEAR DOORS. RETURNED TO DEP ARPT. FOUND PLUMB BOB LOOSE AND WRAPPED AROUND NOSE GEAR.

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PLUMB BOB IN THE NOSE GEAR BECAME LOOSE AND WRAPPED AROUND THE NOSE GEAR RESTRICTING IT FROM FULLY RETRACTING. UPON RETRACTION OF LNDG GEAR AFTER TKOF WE RECEIVED A NOSE GEAR UNSAFE LIGHT. CONTACTED ATC AND LEVELED AT 5000 FT. RECEIVED THE NOSE GEAR UNSAFE LIGHT AND FELT THE AIR RUSHING THROUGH THE NOSE AREA. THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS OF DAMAGE TO THE GEAR OR TIRE. WE BELIEVED A GEAR DOOR WAS LEFT OPEN. PERFORMED THE QRH 'GEAR UNSAFE LIGHT WITH GEAR HANDLE UP.' LOWERING THE LNDG GEAR WE RECEIVED A 3 GREEN INDICATION. DECIDED TO RETURN BACK TO THE ARPT. CONTACTED MAINT AND DISPATCH AND INFORMED THEM OF OUR SITUATION AND CHANGED OUR DEST TO ZZZ. INFORMED THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND MADE A PA ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE PAX. NO EMER WAS DECLARED; PERFORMED A NORMAL LNDG. UPON ARR AT THE GATE WE KEPT THE PAX ONBOARD. THE FLT ATTENDANTS DID A SVC FOR THE PAX AND WE KEPT THEM INFORMED WITH REGULAR ANNOUNCEMENTS. WHEN THE DECISION WAS MADE TO FERRY THE ACFT TO ZZZ1; THE FLT ATTENDANTS WERE RELEASED AND WENT TO THE HOTEL. THE FO AND I STAYED WITH THE ACFT. SINCE WE HADN'T EATEN ANYTHING FOR 12 HRS AND ALL RESTAURANTS AT THE TERMINAL WERE CLOSED; WE ATE 2 OF THE PAX MEALS FROM THE CARTS. REMOVE ALL PLUMB BOBS AND STORE THEM IN THE COCKPITS WITH THE GEAR PINS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE PLUMB BOB IS NORMALLY STORED IN THE NOSEWHEEL WHEEL WELL AND MUST HAVE SHAKEN LOOSE DURING TURB. THE PLUMB BOB CORD WRAPPED AROUND THE NOSE GEAR PREVENTING FULL RETRACTION AND NOSE GEAR DOOR CLOSURE. THE PLUMB BOB IS USED MAINLY FOR MAINT WHEN JACKING THE AIRPLANE AND REQUIRED WHEN A FUEL QUANTITY INDICATOR IS INOP AND DEFERRED PER THE MEL. IT WAS SUGGESTED IN THE RPT TO STORE THIS PLUMB BOB IN THE COCKPIT WITH THE LNDG GEAR PINS. THE COMPANY RPTS NO REQUIRED USE OF THE PLUMB BOB IN THE MAINT HISTORY. ACFT INCURRED NO DAMAGE.