Training flight crew of a small aircraft twin engine aircraft experienced a power reduction surge on...

Attributes
ACN	267355
Time
Date	199403
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phf
State Reference	VA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 200 agl bound upper : 200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : phf
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	PA-23 Apache (& Geronimo Apache)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 775 flight time type : 44
ASRS Report	267355
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Preflight and taxied to runway 7 for training flight in the north practice area. Performed engine run-up, everything normal. Cleared for takeoff, took active runway, advance throttles. Everything was in the green, oil pressure, temperature, fuel pressure, and airspeed was alive. About midway down the runway, at about 200 ft, the left engine began to surge. Noticed no drop in RPM and mp. At this point, committed to go. Brought gear up, maintained at least blue line and directional control and continued. When the engine began to surge, student released ctrl of airplane to me (the instructor). Assigned the student the task of communications. Entered a right downwind for runway 7 and climbed to 1200 MSL. Upon level off, the engine stopped surging. Turned base, reduced throttle, gear down and landed on runway 7 without a problem. The tower had sent the rescue equipment to the runway. Do not remember engine surging from base final and taxi. The student should have continued to fly the airplane, but I, the instructor had no ctrl over his actions. I did not have time to do otherwise. I had to fly or risk something unfortunate. The aircraft is a PA23-160. As of this time, the mechanics are not sure what the problem was.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRAINING FLC OF A SMA TWIN ENG ACFT EXPERIENCED A PWR REDUCTION SURGE ON ONE ENG DURING INITIAL CLB AFTER TKOF AND RETURNED TO LAND.

Narrative: PREFLT AND TAXIED TO RWY 7 FOR TRAINING FLT IN THE N PRACTICE AREA. PERFORMED ENG RUN-UP, EVERYTHING NORMAL. CLRED FOR TKOF, TOOK ACTIVE RWY, ADVANCE THROTTLES. EVERYTHING WAS IN THE GREEN, OIL PRESSURE, TEMP, FUEL PRESSURE, AND AIRSPD WAS ALIVE. ABOUT MIDWAY DOWN THE RWY, AT ABOUT 200 FT, THE L ENG BEGAN TO SURGE. NOTICED NO DROP IN RPM AND MP. AT THIS POINT, COMMITTED TO GO. BROUGHT GEAR UP, MAINTAINED AT LEAST BLUE LINE AND DIRECTIONAL CTL AND CONTINUED. WHEN THE ENG BEGAN TO SURGE, STUDENT RELEASED CTRL OF AIRPLANE TO ME (THE INSTRUCTOR). ASSIGNED THE STUDENT THE TASK OF COMS. ENTERED A R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 7 AND CLBED TO 1200 MSL. UPON LEVEL OFF, THE ENG STOPPED SURGING. TURNED BASE, REDUCED THROTTLE, GEAR DOWN AND LANDED ON RWY 7 WITHOUT A PROB. THE TWR HAD SENT THE RESCUE EQUIP TO THE RWY. DO NOT REMEMBER ENG SURGING FROM BASE FINAL AND TAXI. THE STUDENT SHOULD HAVE CONTINUED TO FLY THE AIRPLANE, BUT I, THE INSTRUCTOR HAD NO CTRL OVER HIS ACTIONS. I DID NOT HAVE TIME TO DO OTHERWISE. I HAD TO FLY OR RISK SOMETHING UNFORTUNATE. THE ACFT IS A PA23-160. AS OF THIS TIME, THE MECHS ARE NOT SURE WHAT THE PROB WAS.

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.

Training flight crew of a small aircraft twin engine aircraft experienced a power reduction surge on one engine during initial climb after takeoff and returned to land.