Small aircraft in use as parachute jump aircraft fails to develop power during takeoff roll. Pilot a...

Narrative:

Began my takeoff roll at full power. About 10 or so seconds into the takeoff roll, I noticed a difference in the sound of the engine, and at a glance at the engine gauges I noticed the tachometer needle was at about 1700-1800 RPM indication. I immediately aborted the takeoff by reducing power and applying full braking. (The runway was only 2400'.) at about 100' from the end of the runway, I realized the aircraft wasn't going to come to a stop by the end of the runway. Being fully aware of a steep drop at the end of the runway (about 400'), I steered the aircraft off the side of the runway into some brush to help bring the aircraft to a stop and to lessen impact for the protection of my passenger (3 parachutists). The aircraft came to a halt at about 4' from the end of the runway. All occupants, myself included, walked away west/O a scratch. I have since learned that the removal of the door was done west/O proper authorization, after being reassured that the removal was caused by the waiver for the parachute jump by the parachutists. Recommendations: 1) take off on runways of at least 3500, 2) take off with only 75% of maximum capacity, and 3) do not remove doors. Cause of engine problem unknown at time of writing. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter said that FAA is pursuing an enforcement action against him for flight with the door removed and west/O approval. Reporter has since learned that an FAA advisory circular provides for removing the door from an aircraft of this type, as long as the approval of the local FSDO is acquired. Reporter said that he had flown jumpers only once before. Unfortunately, he said he was totally unfamiliar with far part 105 until after this incident. There is no indication as to why the engine low power; however, it has since been learned that the tachometer was prone to read 200 RPM low. Nevertheless, the reporter is sure that there was still some power loss.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA IN USE AS PARACHUTE JUMP ACFT FAILS TO DEVELOP POWER DURING TKOF ROLL. PLT ABORTS LATE AND RUNS ACFT OFF THE SIDE OF RWY TO AVOID EMBANKMENT AT THE END.

Narrative: BEGAN MY TKOF ROLL AT FULL PWR. ABOUT 10 OR SO SECS INTO THE TKOF ROLL, I NOTICED A DIFFERENCE IN THE SOUND OF THE ENG, AND AT A GLANCE AT THE ENG GAUGES I NOTICED THE TACHOMETER NEEDLE WAS AT ABOUT 1700-1800 RPM INDICATION. I IMMEDIATELY ABORTED THE TKOF BY REDUCING PWR AND APPLYING FULL BRAKING. (THE RWY WAS ONLY 2400'.) AT ABOUT 100' FROM THE END OF THE RWY, I REALIZED THE ACFT WASN'T GOING TO COME TO A STOP BY THE END OF THE RWY. BEING FULLY AWARE OF A STEEP DROP AT THE END OF THE RWY (ABOUT 400'), I STEERED THE ACFT OFF THE SIDE OF THE RWY INTO SOME BRUSH TO HELP BRING THE ACFT TO A STOP AND TO LESSEN IMPACT FOR THE PROTECTION OF MY PAX (3 PARACHUTISTS). THE ACFT CAME TO A HALT AT ABOUT 4' FROM THE END OF THE RWY. ALL OCCUPANTS, MYSELF INCLUDED, WALKED AWAY W/O A SCRATCH. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT THE REMOVAL OF THE DOOR WAS DONE W/O PROPER AUTHORIZATION, AFTER BEING REASSURED THAT THE REMOVAL WAS CAUSED BY THE WAIVER FOR THE PARACHUTE JUMP BY THE PARACHUTISTS. RECOMMENDATIONS: 1) TAKE OFF ON RWYS OF AT LEAST 3500, 2) TAKE OFF WITH ONLY 75% OF MAX CAPACITY, AND 3) DO NOT REMOVE DOORS. CAUSE OF ENG PROB UNKNOWN AT TIME OF WRITING. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR SAID THAT FAA IS PURSUING AN ENFORCEMENT ACTION AGAINST HIM FOR FLT WITH THE DOOR REMOVED AND W/O APPROVAL. RPTR HAS SINCE LEARNED THAT AN FAA ADVISORY CIRCULAR PROVIDES FOR REMOVING THE DOOR FROM AN ACFT OF THIS TYPE, AS LONG AS THE APPROVAL OF THE LCL FSDO IS ACQUIRED. RPTR SAID THAT HE HAD FLOWN JUMPERS ONLY ONCE BEFORE. UNFORTUNATELY, HE SAID HE WAS TOTALLY UNFAMILIAR WITH FAR PART 105 UNTIL AFTER THIS INCIDENT. THERE IS NO INDICATION AS TO WHY THE ENG LOW PWR; HOWEVER, IT HAS SINCE BEEN LEARNED THAT THE TACHOMETER WAS PRONE TO READ 200 RPM LOW. NEVERTHELESS, THE RPTR IS SURE THAT THERE WAS STILL SOME PWR LOSS.

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.

Attributes
ACN	126205
Time
Date	198910
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 44i
State Reference	KY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 780 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	126205
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : rejected takeoff flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Small aircraft in use as parachute jump aircraft fails to develop power during takeoff roll. Pilot aborts late and runs aircraft off the side of runway to avoid embankment at the end.