A saab 340 on takeoff in rain at 100 ft declared an emergency due to a hot tailpipe warning light. Light went out and emergency cancelled.

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Attributes
ACN	505421
Time
Date	200103
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 100
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Windshear Turbulence Rain
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	SF 340A
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure : other published ifr departure
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 3100 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	505421
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : tail pipe hot light other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft Company Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

We got a tail pipe hot warning light on takeoff after rotation approximately 100 ft. We completed the memory items then declared an emergency. We were on radar vectors to return to ZZZ when the light went out. We completed the checklist and got a phone patch with maintenance. They said the light was caused by water getting up into the tailpipe while we were waiting to takeoff. Both the captain and maintenance felt it was safe to continue the flight. While I agreed that it was safe to continue, I felt that we declared an emergency and should return back to ZZZ I told my captain this several times within the next few mins. He assured me that this was common in the saab to get that kind of warning and the flight was safe to continue. The flight continued with no further problems. I still feel we should have returned to ZZZ. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the engine tailpipe accumulates water in rain or misty conditions when laying overnight or when holding for takeoff. The reporter said when power is applied the water flashes to steam triggering the hot tailpipe sensor. The reporter stated after the emergency was declared and radar vectors were given for the return the light went out. The reporter said the captain was certain the problem was a false warning and was a common report on this airplane.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A SAAB 340 ON TKOF IN RAIN AT 100 FT DECLARED AN EMER DUE TO A HOT TAILPIPE WARNING LIGHT. LIGHT WENT OUT AND EMER CANCELLED.

Narrative: WE GOT A TAIL PIPE HOT WARNING LIGHT ON TKOF AFTER ROTATION APPROX 100 FT. WE COMPLETED THE MEMORY ITEMS THEN DECLARED AN EMER. WE WERE ON RADAR VECTORS TO RETURN TO ZZZ WHEN THE LIGHT WENT OUT. WE COMPLETED THE CHKLIST AND GOT A PHONE PATCH WITH MAINT. THEY SAID THE LIGHT WAS CAUSED BY WATER GETTING UP INTO THE TAILPIPE WHILE WE WERE WAITING TO TKOF. BOTH THE CAPT AND MAINT FELT IT WAS SAFE TO CONTINUE THE FLT. WHILE I AGREED THAT IT WAS SAFE TO CONTINUE, I FELT THAT WE DECLARED AN EMER AND SHOULD RETURN BACK TO ZZZ I TOLD MY CAPT THIS SEVERAL TIMES WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MINS. HE ASSURED ME THAT THIS WAS COMMON IN THE SAAB TO GET THAT KIND OF WARNING AND THE FLT WAS SAFE TO CONTINUE. THE FLT CONTINUED WITH NO FURTHER PROBS. I STILL FEEL WE SHOULD HAVE RETURNED TO ZZZ. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE ENG TAILPIPE ACCUMULATES WATER IN RAIN OR MISTY CONDITIONS WHEN LAYING OVERNIGHT OR WHEN HOLDING FOR TKOF. THE RPTR SAID WHEN POWER IS APPLIED THE WATER FLASHES TO STEAM TRIGGERING THE HOT TAILPIPE SENSOR. THE RPTR STATED AFTER THE EMER WAS DECLARED AND RADAR VECTORS WERE GIVEN FOR THE RETURN THE LIGHT WENT OUT. THE RPTR SAID THE CAPT WAS CERTAIN THE PROB WAS A FALSE WARNING AND WAS A COMMON RPT ON THIS AIRPLANE.

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.