Small aircraft applies power during touch and go practice, aircraft pulls to right. 20 ft airborne, ...

Attributes
ACN	210058
Time
Date	199205
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : haf
State Reference	CA
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 landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 6 flight time total : 530 flight time type : 6
ASRS Report	210058
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I had been practicing touch and go's at har. Just after my fifth landing, I applied power and began a new takeoff roll. Suddenly, there was a thunk and the aircraft began pulling to the right. I thought it might be the nosewheel steering. I felt I was able to overpwr the pull after the aircraft took off, it still pulled to the right. At an altitude of perhaps 20 ft AGL, I cut power and landed on the remaining runway. I still had difficulty keeping the aircraft aligned during rollout. As I slowed down near the far end of the runway, I glanced down and saw that the autoplt had been turned on. Apparently, my hand glanced against the autoplt on-off switch while applying throttle power. The incident was caused partly by my inexperience with this particular plane (I have flown small aircraft's before). My successful handling can be credited to the club instructor who had checked me out in this aircraft. One area he stressed was checking the autoplt on the ground to be sure you could overpwr it. So I figured out I should check there as I slowed down. I think I was right to land rather than continue and troubleshoot in the air.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA APPLIES PWR DURING TOUCH AND GO PRACTICE, ACFT PULLS TO R. 20 FT AIRBORNE, PULLS PWR. LANDS.

Narrative: I HAD BEEN PRACTICING TOUCH AND GO'S AT HAR. JUST AFTER MY FIFTH LNDG, I APPLIED PWR AND BEGAN A NEW TKOF ROLL. SUDDENLY, THERE WAS A THUNK AND THE ACFT BEGAN PULLING TO THE R. I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE THE NOSEWHEEL STEERING. I FELT I WAS ABLE TO OVERPWR THE PULL AFTER THE ACFT TOOK OFF, IT STILL PULLED TO THE R. AT AN ALT OF PERHAPS 20 FT AGL, I CUT PWR AND LANDED ON THE REMAINING RWY. I STILL HAD DIFFICULTY KEEPING THE ACFT ALIGNED DURING ROLLOUT. AS I SLOWED DOWN NEAR THE FAR END OF THE RWY, I GLANCED DOWN AND SAW THAT THE AUTOPLT HAD BEEN TURNED ON. APPARENTLY, MY HAND GLANCED AGAINST THE AUTOPLT ON-OFF SWITCH WHILE APPLYING THROTTLE PWR. THE INCIDENT WAS CAUSED PARTLY BY MY INEXPERIENCE WITH THIS PARTICULAR PLANE (I HAVE FLOWN SMA'S BEFORE). MY SUCCESSFUL HANDLING CAN BE CREDITED TO THE CLUB INSTRUCTOR WHO HAD CHKED ME OUT IN THIS ACFT. ONE AREA HE STRESSED WAS CHKING THE AUTOPLT ON THE GND TO BE SURE YOU COULD OVERPWR IT. SO I FIGURED OUT I SHOULD CHK THERE AS I SLOWED DOWN. I THINK I WAS RIGHT TO LAND RATHER THAN CONTINUE AND TROUBLESHOOT IN THE AIR.

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.

Small aircraft applies power during touch and go practice, aircraft pulls to right. 20 ft airborne, pulls power. Lands.