Narrative:

I went on duty at XA00 and observed my copilot doing the exterior preflight of the aircraft. I performed the interior preflight. We taxied to the runway (29R) and were cleared for takeoff with mention of traffic on short final behind us. During takeoff roll, copilot called out airspeed and also said that airspeed was fluctuating. I looked at my indicator which read zero and at right side which was fluctuating but readable. Vr was called and I rotated and immediately turned on pitot heat as it was cool and wet from previous rain shower. Approximately 5 seconds later the copilot's airspeed went dead and I saw that the vertical speed indicator and altimeter were not working either. I told my copilot to inform ATC that our altimeters were not functioning and that we would return to airport. After an uneventful landing it was discovered that the static ports and pitot tubes were taped over with duct tape. Somehow the copilot had missed this on the preflight. I selected alternate static air as soon as we informed ATC that we were returning. I had continued with the takeoff because I thought that pitot heat would solve the problem. Also, the traffic landing behind us, good VFR WX and normal acceleration contributed to my decision to continue. Supplemental information from acn 190502: I proceeded to check the aircraft which was parked on the dimly lit ramp. I observed the captain's (left hand) airspeed indicator at 0 and informed him of it. This situation would not have occurred if I had checked closer on the preflight or if a red or orange tape was used to cover the pitot and static ports. I also feel that the captain could have aborted the takeoff when improper airspeed indications were observed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER SMT MADE A TKOF FROM MSP WITH THE PITOT AND STATIC PORTS COVERED WITH TAPE.

Narrative: I WENT ON DUTY AT XA00 AND OBSERVED MY COPLT DOING THE EXTERIOR PREFLT OF THE ACFT. I PERFORMED THE INTERIOR PREFLT. WE TAXIED TO THE RWY (29R) AND WERE CLRED FOR TKOF WITH MENTION OF TFC ON SHORT FINAL BEHIND US. DURING TKOF ROLL, COPLT CALLED OUT AIRSPD AND ALSO SAID THAT AIRSPD WAS FLUCTUATING. I LOOKED AT MY INDICATOR WHICH READ ZERO AND AT R SIDE WHICH WAS FLUCTUATING BUT READABLE. VR WAS CALLED AND I ROTATED AND IMMEDIATELY TURNED ON PITOT HEAT AS IT WAS COOL AND WET FROM PREVIOUS RAIN SHOWER. APPROX 5 SECONDS LATER THE COPLT'S AIRSPD WENT DEAD AND I SAW THAT THE VERT SPD INDICATOR AND ALTIMETER WERE NOT WORKING EITHER. I TOLD MY COPLT TO INFORM ATC THAT OUR ALTIMETERS WERE NOT FUNCTIONING AND THAT WE WOULD RETURN TO ARPT. AFTER AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE STATIC PORTS AND PITOT TUBES WERE TAPED OVER WITH DUCT TAPE. SOMEHOW THE COPLT HAD MISSED THIS ON THE PREFLT. I SELECTED ALTERNATE STATIC AIR AS SOON AS WE INFORMED ATC THAT WE WERE RETURNING. I HAD CONTINUED WITH THE TKOF BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT PITOT HEAT WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM. ALSO, THE TFC LNDG BEHIND US, GOOD VFR WX AND NORMAL ACCELERATION CONTRIBUTED TO MY DECISION TO CONTINUE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 190502: I PROCEEDED TO CHK THE ACFT WHICH WAS PARKED ON THE DIMLY LIT RAMP. I OBSERVED THE CAPT'S (L HAND) AIRSPD INDICATOR AT 0 AND INFORMED HIM OF IT. THIS SITUATION WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED IF I HAD CHKED CLOSER ON THE PREFLT OR IF A RED OR ORANGE TAPE WAS USED TO COVER THE PITOT AND STATIC PORTS. I ALSO FEEL THAT THE CAPT COULD HAVE ABORTED THE TKOF WHEN IMPROPER AIRSPD INDICATIONS WERE OBSERVED.

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.