Narrative:

My medical flight crew and myself were requested to respond from winslow (our base) to a medical transport flight from page, az, to phoenix, az. During preflight, I removed the protective devices, such as wing covers, pitot covers, engine inlet and exhaust plugs, etc. All checks and procedures were normal throughout start, taxi and takeoff roll. Immediately after takeoff (lift-off) however, a loud banging noise and vibration in the elevator control commenced. The vibration/buffeting became more pronounced after gear retraction, but subsided slightly with increased speed. I maneuvered the plane back around the pattern and landed at higher than normal speed. Upon shutdown and postflt inspection, we found parts of the right inboard wing cover behind the aircraft. We concluded that I failed to see and remove that particular wing cover tarp. I called my chief pilot and director of operations, who promptly came up together with the director of maintenance to interview and inspect the situation. I have reviewed and retrained the preflight procedures and safety concerns relating to it. A written warning from my company has been issued. I will strive to increase my diligence and awareness in preparation for flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF C441 AIR AMBULANCE FAILS TO REMOVE THE R WING COVER PRIOR TO TKOF. IT IMPACTS THE ELEVATOR AND CAUSES CTL PROB AND A LOUD BANGING NOISE.

Narrative: MY MEDICAL FLC AND MYSELF WERE REQUESTED TO RESPOND FROM WINSLOW (OUR BASE) TO A MEDICAL TRANSPORT FLT FROM PAGE, AZ, TO PHOENIX, AZ. DURING PREFLT, I REMOVED THE PROTECTIVE DEVICES, SUCH AS WING COVERS, PITOT COVERS, ENG INLET AND EXHAUST PLUGS, ETC. ALL CHKS AND PROCS WERE NORMAL THROUGHOUT START, TAXI AND TKOF ROLL. IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF (LIFT-OFF) HOWEVER, A LOUD BANGING NOISE AND VIBRATION IN THE ELEVATOR CTL COMMENCED. THE VIBRATION/BUFFETING BECAME MORE PRONOUNCED AFTER GEAR RETRACTION, BUT SUBSIDED SLIGHTLY WITH INCREASED SPD. I MANEUVERED THE PLANE BACK AROUND THE PATTERN AND LANDED AT HIGHER THAN NORMAL SPD. UPON SHUTDOWN AND POSTFLT INSPECTION, WE FOUND PARTS OF THE R INBOARD WING COVER BEHIND THE ACFT. WE CONCLUDED THAT I FAILED TO SEE AND REMOVE THAT PARTICULAR WING COVER TARP. I CALLED MY CHIEF PLT AND DIRECTOR OF OPS, WHO PROMPTLY CAME UP TOGETHER WITH THE DIRECTOR OF MAINT TO INTERVIEW AND INSPECT THE SIT. I HAVE REVIEWED AND RETRAINED THE PREFLT PROCS AND SAFETY CONCERNS RELATING TO IT. A WRITTEN WARNING FROM MY COMPANY HAS BEEN ISSUED. I WILL STRIVE TO INCREASE MY DILIGENCE AND AWARENESS IN PREPARATION FOR FLT.

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.