Narrative:

After preflting my aircraft, I was momentarily distracted and failed to detach a 60 pound lug bug/tow bar from the tailwheel. After taxi and run-up an IFR to VFR on top departure was conducted. As the aircraft lifted off and became enveloped in the fog the problem was discovered by unusual flight characteristics. With an aborted takeoff not possible the climb on top was continued. Once in VFR conditions a diversion to nearby san luis obispo airport was flown. San luis obispo was reporting clear and calm at the time. A high speed no flap landing was conducted without incident. The aircraft was taxied off the runway and the lug bug detached. There was no damage to the aircraft and only minimal damage to the lug bug.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNKNOWN SMA ACFT. RPTR PLT FAILED TO REMOVE TOW BAR LUG BUG FROM TAILWHEEL PRIOR TO TAXI AND TKOF. AFTER TKOF, RPTR REALIZED THE PROB, DIVERTED TO AN ALTERNATE ARPT. NO DAMAGE.

Narrative: AFTER PREFLTING MY ACFT, I WAS MOMENTARILY DISTRACTED AND FAILED TO DETACH A 60 LB LUG BUG/TOW BAR FROM THE TAILWHEEL. AFTER TAXI AND RUN-UP AN IFR TO VFR ON TOP DEP WAS CONDUCTED. AS THE ACFT LIFTED OFF AND BECAME ENVELOPED IN THE FOG THE PROB WAS DISCOVERED BY UNUSUAL FLT CHARACTERISTICS. WITH AN ABORTED TKOF NOT POSSIBLE THE CLB ON TOP WAS CONTINUED. ONCE IN VFR CONDITIONS A DIVERSION TO NEARBY SAN LUIS OBISPO ARPT WAS FLOWN. SAN LUIS OBISPO WAS RPTING CLR AND CALM AT THE TIME. A HIGH SPD NO FLAP LNDG WAS CONDUCTED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE ACFT WAS TAXIED OFF THE RWY AND THE LUG BUG DETACHED. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT AND ONLY MINIMAL DAMAGE TO THE LUG BUG.

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.