Narrative:

A deep low caused thunderstorms/snow showers in the morning when we landed. I put pitot tube covers on. It was 35 degrees F and raining at the time. During the day, the temperature dropped and the rain changed to snow. It was also very windy (gusting to 35 KTS). An hour before departure, I went out to clear the snow and ice off the plane. This took 1 hour to 1 hour 15 mins. I was dressed for it, but my hands and feet still became quite cold. I noticed that one of the pitot covers (there were 2) had blown off, so I picked it up and put it in my pocket. I decided to leave the other cover on, since the snow was still blowing around a bit. (At that time I removed the chocks.) I was going to remove pitot cover upon return to plane. Upon return to FBO, I saw that my passenger was waiting and my aro had expired. I checked WX (low ceilings/visibility, ice high winds gusting to 40 KTS) and made a new reservation. Upon return to plane, I forgot to remove pitot tube cover. If I had left the chocks in place, I would have been forced to go to the front of the plane where the pitot tubes are. This is when I normally remove the covers. On taxiout another captain notified ground control, who notified me about the covers. I received permission to stop the taxi at the penalty box and remove the cover. WX was a definite factor. I was concerned about the snow and ice I had to remove, and the cold and wind which made me want to rush, and I was concerned about the WX for the flight. I changed my preflight routine, and I failed to do a final walk-around upon returning to the plane. I certainly learned a valuable lesson about proper preflight procedures in less than ideal conditions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SINGLE PLT CORPORATE ACFT FORGETS TO REMOVE PITOT COVER. ERROR CAUGHT ON TAXI OUT BY THE PLT OF ANOTHER ACFT.

Narrative: A DEEP LOW CAUSED TSTMS/SNOW SHOWERS IN THE MORNING WHEN WE LANDED. I PUT PITOT TUBE COVERS ON. IT WAS 35 DEGS F AND RAINING AT THE TIME. DURING THE DAY, THE TEMP DROPPED AND THE RAIN CHANGED TO SNOW. IT WAS ALSO VERY WINDY (GUSTING TO 35 KTS). AN HR BEFORE DEP, I WENT OUT TO CLR THE SNOW AND ICE OFF THE PLANE. THIS TOOK 1 HR TO 1 HR 15 MINS. I WAS DRESSED FOR IT, BUT MY HANDS AND FEET STILL BECAME QUITE COLD. I NOTICED THAT ONE OF THE PITOT COVERS (THERE WERE 2) HAD BLOWN OFF, SO I PICKED IT UP AND PUT IT IN MY POCKET. I DECIDED TO LEAVE THE OTHER COVER ON, SINCE THE SNOW WAS STILL BLOWING AROUND A BIT. (AT THAT TIME I REMOVED THE CHOCKS.) I WAS GOING TO REMOVE PITOT COVER UPON RETURN TO PLANE. UPON RETURN TO FBO, I SAW THAT MY PAX WAS WAITING AND MY ARO HAD EXPIRED. I CHKED WX (LOW CEILINGS/VISIBILITY, ICE HIGH WINDS GUSTING TO 40 KTS) AND MADE A NEW RESERVATION. UPON RETURN TO PLANE, I FORGOT TO REMOVE PITOT TUBE COVER. IF I HAD LEFT THE CHOCKS IN PLACE, I WOULD HAVE BEEN FORCED TO GO TO THE FRONT OF THE PLANE WHERE THE PITOT TUBES ARE. THIS IS WHEN I NORMALLY REMOVE THE COVERS. ON TAXIOUT ANOTHER CAPT NOTIFIED GND CTL, WHO NOTIFIED ME ABOUT THE COVERS. I RECEIVED PERMISSION TO STOP THE TAXI AT THE PENALTY BOX AND REMOVE THE COVER. WX WAS A DEFINITE FACTOR. I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SNOW AND ICE I HAD TO REMOVE, AND THE COLD AND WIND WHICH MADE ME WANT TO RUSH, AND I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE WX FOR THE FLT. I CHANGED MY PREFLT ROUTINE, AND I FAILED TO DO A FINAL WALK-AROUND UPON RETURNING TO THE PLANE. I CERTAINLY LEARNED A VALUABLE LESSON ABOUT PROPER PREFLT PROCS IN LESS THAN IDEAL CONDITIONS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.