A cessna 172 departed N99 with the nosewheel towbar still attached.

Attributes
ACN	443114
Time
Date	199907
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : n99.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : teb.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Route In Use	departure : vfr
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	443114
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	pilot : cfi
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to alternate none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

When I preflted the airplane, the left tire was flat. Had tire inflated and pulled airplane out of hangar with nose towbar. I was concerned about the left main tire and my passenger and I both looked at it for about 10 mins to make sure it held the inflation. We were satisfied that all was ok and started up and taxied out and took off with the nose towbar attached. Alerted by unicom and returned for an uneventful landing. Another potentially dangerous situation due to distraction. Upon return we almost pushed the airplane into a car parked in the hangar. Once it starts it appears that there is no end. The passenger was also a CFI, ii. Distraction our own most potential enemy.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CESSNA 172 DEPARTED N99 WITH THE NOSEWHEEL TOWBAR STILL ATTACHED.

Narrative: WHEN I PREFLTED THE AIRPLANE, THE L TIRE WAS FLAT. HAD TIRE INFLATED AND PULLED AIRPLANE OUT OF HANGAR WITH NOSE TOWBAR. I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE L MAIN TIRE AND MY PAX AND I BOTH LOOKED AT IT FOR ABOUT 10 MINS TO MAKE SURE IT HELD THE INFLATION. WE WERE SATISFIED THAT ALL WAS OK AND STARTED UP AND TAXIED OUT AND TOOK OFF WITH THE NOSE TOWBAR ATTACHED. ALERTED BY UNICOM AND RETURNED FOR AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. ANOTHER POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SIT DUE TO DISTR. UPON RETURN WE ALMOST PUSHED THE AIRPLANE INTO A CAR PARKED IN THE HANGAR. ONCE IT STARTS IT APPEARS THAT THERE IS NO END. THE PAX WAS ALSO A CFI, II. DISTR OUR OWN MOST POTENTIAL ENEMY.

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.