Narrative:

I met student for a flight in cessna 172. I, being an instructor, was seated in the right seat with student in the left. After the preflight was completed, the 172 had taxied to runway 5 at north little rock, ar. At runup no indication of any problems, magnetic check, carburetor heat, and oil pressure were well within specifications. The day was VFR, visibility 7-10 mi. The aircraft had taxied to runway 5 and power applied upon rotation to 80 mph for climb out for 1 min. At this point the cessna's engine began to shutter violently and began losing RPM and power. At this time I took over control of the aircraft. Looking ahead I could see the runway numbers off the departure end below the aircraft's nose and determined insufficient runway to safely land the 172. Having enough altitude, I began a 180 degree turn to the left, knowing I could land either on the vacant tarmac adjacent the taxiway or the taxiway itself off runway 5. Through this, the engine was still making power and at the last 45 degrees of the turn the engine started returning to power. With increasing throttle and sufficient altitude and airspeed remaining, a climb was started paralleling runway 5. Once a safe altitude was reached, the aircraft was landed on runway 5. After clearing the runway, a magnetic check was performed and nothing out of the ordinary noted. At all times aircraft was within landing distance to the vacant tarmac, the taxiway or runway 12/35. No one was injured nor was any damage incurred to the aircraft.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA WITH INSTRUCTOR AND SPI HAS PWR LOSS JUST AFTER LIFTOFF.

Narrative: I MET STUDENT FOR A FLT IN CESSNA 172. I, BEING AN INSTRUCTOR, WAS SEATED IN THE R SEAT WITH STUDENT IN THE L. AFTER THE PREFLT WAS COMPLETED, THE 172 HAD TAXIED TO RWY 5 AT N LITTLE ROCK, AR. AT RUNUP NO INDICATION OF ANY PROBS, MAGNETIC CHK, CARB HEAT, AND OIL PRESSURE WERE WELL WITHIN SPECS. THE DAY WAS VFR, VISIBILITY 7-10 MI. THE ACFT HAD TAXIED TO RWY 5 AND PWR APPLIED UPON ROTATION TO 80 MPH FOR CLBOUT FOR 1 MIN. AT THIS POINT THE CESSNA'S ENG BEGAN TO SHUTTER VIOLENTLY AND BEGAN LOSING RPM AND PWR. AT THIS TIME I TOOK OVER CTL OF THE ACFT. LOOKING AHEAD I COULD SEE THE RWY NUMBERS OFF THE DEP END BELOW THE ACFT'S NOSE AND DETERMINED INSUFFICIENT RWY TO SAFELY LAND THE 172. HAVING ENOUGH ALT, I BEGAN A 180 DEG TURN TO THE L, KNOWING I COULD LAND EITHER ON THE VACANT TARMAC ADJACENT THE TXWY OR THE TXWY ITSELF OFF RWY 5. THROUGH THIS, THE ENG WAS STILL MAKING PWR AND AT THE LAST 45 DEGS OF THE TURN THE ENG STARTED RETURNING TO PWR. WITH INCREASING THROTTLE AND SUFFICIENT ALT AND AIRSPD REMAINING, A CLB WAS STARTED PARALLELING RWY 5. ONCE A SAFE ALT WAS REACHED, THE ACFT WAS LANDED ON RWY 5. AFTER CLRING THE RWY, A MAGNETIC CHK WAS PERFORMED AND NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY NOTED. AT ALL TIMES ACFT WAS WITHIN LNDG DISTANCE TO THE VACANT TARMAC, THE TXWY OR RWY 12/35. NO ONE WAS INJURED NOR WAS ANY DAMAGE INCURRED TO THE ACFT.

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.