B737-700
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 135; Flight Crew Type 7800
Communication Breakdown; Time Pressure
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Became Reoriented; General Maintenance Action
Human Factors
We were on our sixth leg and were running approximately 30 minutes late due to a ground stop. Operations wanted us to push off the gate anyway because a Company aircraft was waiting for the gate. We pushed off under some time pressure (two-man wired push). We started one engine with the intention to taxi out and hold somewhere when we were informed that the hold was no longer in effect. So I directed the First Officer to start Number 1. I finally cleared the ground crew off. Just after completing the Before Taxi Checklist; Ground informed us that the inbound Company aircraft noticed something hanging from the nose gear. I suddenly realized that the ground crew had not held up the bypass pin and was certain the pin had not been removed. We called Company and asked them to get the push crew back out to remove the bypass pin. They came out and removed the pin. The rest of the flight was uneventful. We were tired and under some time pressure due to the lifting of the ground stop; which led to increased coordination to start the second engine. Couple this with being at the end of a long day; I didn't catch the pushback crew not having removed the bypass pin. This may have been a training issue (or a long day for them); but it was still incumbent on me to confirm the pin had been removed. Lesson learned and I will make sure I see the pin in hand before I clear the crew off.
B737 Captain reports a rushed pushback and engine start where the ground crew departs without removing the nose wheel steering bypass pin. The flight waiting for the gate notes the flag attached to the pin and informs the reporter. The ground crew is recalled and the pin is removed before taxiing is attempted.