Narrative:

Received clearance for straight out southeast departure on runway 13R. At approximately 300' AGL we raised the landing gear and continued the climb. At approximately 500' AGL the engine faltered and we continued climbing to approximately 700' AGL, where the engine faltered again. At that point, we initiated a left turn back toward the field and the student informed the tower of our intentions. The tower told us to immediately turn right and more west of the centerline and state our intentions. I informed the tower that we were experiencing power problems and that we need to land. The tower did not acknowledge or clear us to land, but told us to avoid the sea TCA (descend below 1000' MSL) and to avoid a medium large transport at our 10 O'clock position. I again told the tower we were having engine problems and needed to land. The tower cleared us to land on 13R. The tower told us to begin a base turn, and to identify our transponder if we could hear the tower xmissions. We idented and were told to call the tower on the phone after landing. I called the tower and explained the situation. The tower controller asked for my name and said FSDO would be contacted. Apparently the push to talk switch on the right side of the aircraft was malfunctioning as the tower controller claimed he never heard anything from the aircraft. According to the altimeter, we never violated the sea TCA because we never exceeded 1000' MSL. An unauthorized turn was executed in the traffic pattern as we were preparing for an engine failure and a forced landing.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA HAD ENGINE PROBLEM AFTER TKOF. BFI TWR CLAIMS UNAUTH PENETRATION OF SEA TCA AS ACFT RETURNED TO BFI.

Narrative: RECEIVED CLRNC FOR STRAIGHT OUT SE DEP ON RWY 13R. AT APPROX 300' AGL WE RAISED THE LNDG GEAR AND CONTINUED THE CLB. AT APPROX 500' AGL THE ENG FALTERED AND WE CONTINUED CLBING TO APPROX 700' AGL, WHERE THE ENG FALTERED AGAIN. AT THAT POINT, WE INITIATED A LEFT TURN BACK TOWARD THE FIELD AND THE STUDENT INFORMED THE TWR OF OUR INTENTIONS. THE TWR TOLD US TO IMMEDIATELY TURN RIGHT AND MORE W OF THE CENTERLINE AND STATE OUR INTENTIONS. I INFORMED THE TWR THAT WE WERE EXPERIENCING PWR PROBS AND THAT WE NEED TO LAND. THE TWR DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE OR CLR US TO LAND, BUT TOLD US TO AVOID THE SEA TCA (DSND BELOW 1000' MSL) AND TO AVOID A MLG AT OUR 10 O'CLOCK POS. I AGAIN TOLD THE TWR WE WERE HAVING ENG PROBS AND NEEDED TO LAND. THE TWR CLRED US TO LAND ON 13R. THE TWR TOLD US TO BEGIN A BASE TURN, AND TO IDENT OUR XPONDER IF WE COULD HEAR THE TWR XMISSIONS. WE IDENTED AND WERE TOLD TO CALL THE TWR ON THE PHONE AFTER LNDG. I CALLED THE TWR AND EXPLAINED THE SITUATION. THE TWR CTLR ASKED FOR MY NAME AND SAID FSDO WOULD BE CONTACTED. APPARENTLY THE PUSH TO TALK SWITCH ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ACFT WAS MALFUNCTIONING AS THE TWR CTLR CLAIMED HE NEVER HEARD ANYTHING FROM THE ACFT. ACCORDING TO THE ALTIMETER, WE NEVER VIOLATED THE SEA TCA BECAUSE WE NEVER EXCEEDED 1000' MSL. AN UNAUTH TURN WAS EXECUTED IN THE TFC PATTERN AS WE WERE PREPARING FOR AN ENG FAILURE AND A FORCED LNDG.

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.