CFI pilot of small aircraft on pleasure flight from OB8 gets distraction during preflight and forgets to remove the tow bar from the nosewheel. Pilot decides to land at gon and does so uneventfully.

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Attributes
ACN	145270
Time
Date	199005
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gon airport : ob8
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : preflight landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 65 flight time total : 5426 flight time type : 2476
ASRS Report	145270
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	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

After preflting, the airplane was pulled out of the parking area, using the tow bar. Several pebbles were noticed in the proposed taxi path. We picked up some of these to get them out of the way of possibly being picked up by the propeller. During the takeoff from the uncontrolled field I noticed a very slight rumbling noise, nothing out of the ordinary. On climb out I got to thinking about the rumbling noise. Once established en route I glanced back at the baggage compartment to check for the tow bar. It wasn't there. It probably was still attached to the nosewheel. I decided the best thing to do was to land at a controled field where assistance was available if needed. After getting a visibility confirmation from the tower that the tow bar was indeed still attached to the nosewheel we landed uneventfully. To avoid this, you might consider every takeoff with the same attitude as your first solo, in other words don't be complacent. If someone other than the PIC uses the tow bar, even though he or she may be a pilot, make sure that it has been taken off and stowed. Above all avoid distrs. In this case it was the pebbles.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CFI PLT OF SMA ON PLEASURE FLT FROM OB8 GETS DISTR DURING PREFLT AND FORGETS TO REMOVE THE TOW BAR FROM THE NOSEWHEEL. PLT DECIDES TO LAND AT GON AND DOES SO UNEVENTFULLY.

Narrative: AFTER PREFLTING, THE AIRPLANE WAS PULLED OUT OF THE PARKING AREA, USING THE TOW BAR. SEVERAL PEBBLES WERE NOTICED IN THE PROPOSED TAXI PATH. WE PICKED UP SOME OF THESE TO GET THEM OUT OF THE WAY OF POSSIBLY BEING PICKED UP BY THE PROP. DURING THE TKOF FROM THE UNCTLED FIELD I NOTICED A VERY SLIGHT RUMBLING NOISE, NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. ON CLB OUT I GOT TO THINKING ABOUT THE RUMBLING NOISE. ONCE ESTABLISHED ENRTE I GLANCED BACK AT THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT TO CHK FOR THE TOW BAR. IT WASN'T THERE. IT PROBABLY WAS STILL ATTACHED TO THE NOSEWHEEL. I DECIDED THE BEST THING TO DO WAS TO LAND AT A CTLED FIELD WHERE ASSISTANCE WAS AVAILABLE IF NEEDED. AFTER GETTING A VIS CONFIRMATION FROM THE TWR THAT THE TOW BAR WAS INDEED STILL ATTACHED TO THE NOSEWHEEL WE LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. TO AVOID THIS, YOU MIGHT CONSIDER EVERY TKOF WITH THE SAME ATTITUDE AS YOUR FIRST SOLO, IN OTHER WORDS DON'T BE COMPLACENT. IF SOMEONE OTHER THAN THE PIC USES THE TOW BAR, EVEN THOUGH HE OR SHE MAY BE A PLT, MAKE SURE THAT IT HAS BEEN TAKEN OFF AND STOWED. ABOVE ALL AVOID DISTRS. IN THIS CASE IT WAS THE PEBBLES.

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.