GA light transport made takeoff with tail stand still attached.

Attributes
ACN	104086
Time
Date	198902
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phf
State Reference	VA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : phf
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 820
ASRS Report	104086
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 6800 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	104198
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We arrived at operations for an XX30 brief, flight planned and I called FSS to file at approximately 45 mins prior to takeoff. FSS was evidently busy and did not answer phone, so I had to hurry to walk down to the main terminal to file. Upon returning we had about 25 mins to get airborne. We were to pick up vip and I didn't want to be late. Needless to say we pushed to the aircraft and I jumped right in to get the clearance working. The first officer also rushed and forgot to remove the tailstand. The ground crew man who started and pulled the APU (near tailstand) also failed to notice it. Upon takeoff we received 3 gear unsafe lights. After going through efforts to see if the gear unsafe lights would reset, our company maintenance requested flyby to determine gear door status. During fly by tower noticed tailstand on aircraft. We burned down fuel to landing weight and landed back at patrick henry. Our gear was confirmed safe and doors up despite indications. So we called for normal landing and did not declare an emergency as none existed. Tower did however and called out emergency vehicles. We landed with no problem. We simply should not have allowed ourselves to get rushed to the point of not taking time for a last walk around.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA LTT MADE TKOF WITH TAIL STAND STILL ATTACHED.

Narrative: WE ARRIVED AT OPS FOR AN XX30 BRIEF, FLT PLANNED AND I CALLED FSS TO FILE AT APPROX 45 MINS PRIOR TO TKOF. FSS WAS EVIDENTLY BUSY AND DID NOT ANSWER PHONE, SO I HAD TO HURRY TO WALK DOWN TO THE MAIN TERMINAL TO FILE. UPON RETURNING WE HAD ABOUT 25 MINS TO GET AIRBORNE. WE WERE TO PICK UP VIP AND I DIDN'T WANT TO BE LATE. NEEDLESS TO SAY WE PUSHED TO THE ACFT AND I JUMPED RIGHT IN TO GET THE CLRNC WORKING. THE F/O ALSO RUSHED AND FORGOT TO REMOVE THE TAILSTAND. THE GND CREW MAN WHO STARTED AND PULLED THE APU (NEAR TAILSTAND) ALSO FAILED TO NOTICE IT. UPON TKOF WE RECEIVED 3 GEAR UNSAFE LIGHTS. AFTER GOING THROUGH EFFORTS TO SEE IF THE GEAR UNSAFE LIGHTS WOULD RESET, OUR COMPANY MAINT REQUESTED FLYBY TO DETERMINE GEAR DOOR STATUS. DURING FLY BY TWR NOTICED TAILSTAND ON ACFT. WE BURNED DOWN FUEL TO LNDG WT AND LANDED BACK AT PATRICK HENRY. OUR GEAR WAS CONFIRMED SAFE AND DOORS UP DESPITE INDICATIONS. SO WE CALLED FOR NORMAL LNDG AND DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER AS NONE EXISTED. TWR DID HOWEVER AND CALLED OUT EMER VEHICLES. WE LANDED WITH NO PROB. WE SIMPLY SHOULD NOT HAVE ALLOWED OURSELVES TO GET RUSHED TO THE POINT OF NOT TAKING TIME FOR A LAST WALK AROUND.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.