Small aircraft aborts takeoff for suspected engine problem.

Attributes
ACN	132135
Time
Date	198912
Day	Thu
Place
Locale Reference	airport : riv
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 50
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : riv
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 1000 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	132135
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : rejected takeoff
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

After maintenance on the aircraft for a bad spark plug lead, I was performing a flight test on the aircraft to put the aircraft back on line for rental. After liftoff, I detected a change in sound on my headset. Unknown if it was a problem with engine or electrical circuits. At that time, I decided that I would be better to abort the takeoff and attempt an onfield landing after reducing the power to idle and advising the tower of my intended actions, I was unable to land without running off the end of the runway. No damage was done to the aircraft. Corrective action: aircraft reinspected (new annual inspection).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ABORTS TKOF FOR SUSPECTED ENGINE PROBLEM.

Narrative: AFTER MAINT ON THE ACFT FOR A BAD SPARK PLUG LEAD, I WAS PERFORMING A FLT TEST ON THE ACFT TO PUT THE ACFT BACK ON LINE FOR RENTAL. AFTER LIFTOFF, I DETECTED A CHANGE IN SOUND ON MY HEADSET. UNKNOWN IF IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH ENGINE OR ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS. AT THAT TIME, I DECIDED THAT I WOULD BE BETTER TO ABORT THE TKOF AND ATTEMPT AN ONFIELD LNDG AFTER REDUCING THE POWER TO IDLE AND ADVISING THE TWR OF MY INTENDED ACTIONS, I WAS UNABLE TO LAND WITHOUT RUNNING OFF THE END OF THE RWY. NO DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE ACFT. CORRECTIVE ACTION: ACFT REINSPECTED (NEW ANNUAL INSPECTION).

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.