PA24 pilot did not remove the wing tie down from the aircraft prior to flight.

Attributes
ACN	525440
Time
Date	200109
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 3v5.airport
State Reference	MO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-24 Comanche
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 625 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	525440
Person 2
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : 2
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed in emergency condition none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Departed airport with left wing tie down still attached and dragging a piece of concrete weighing 25-30 pounds. When configuring for cruise climb, the concrete began to strike the aileron. I reduced speed to 100 mph which stopped the swinging of the concrete. I declared an emergency, squawked 7700, and proceeded to the nearest airport (3US). The tie down was newly installed. The installation was in rocky soil, and consisted of filling a bowl shaped depression with concrete 8 inches deep by 12 inches round, tapering to the edge, and then laying an anchor in the concrete. I noticed no resistance when I began to taxi. I thought my father had removed the left wing tie down. I should have checked myself. I made an assumption I should not have made. Possibly I was distraction due to my wife being in the hospital.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA24 PLT DID NOT REMOVE THE WING TIE DOWN FROM THE ACFT PRIOR TO FLT.

Narrative: DEPARTED ARPT WITH L WING TIE DOWN STILL ATTACHED AND DRAGGING A PIECE OF CONCRETE WEIGHING 25-30 LBS. WHEN CONFIGURING FOR CRUISE CLB, THE CONCRETE BEGAN TO STRIKE THE AILERON. I REDUCED SPD TO 100 MPH WHICH STOPPED THE SWINGING OF THE CONCRETE. I DECLARED AN EMER, SQUAWKED 7700, AND PROCEEDED TO THE NEAREST ARPT (3US). THE TIE DOWN WAS NEWLY INSTALLED. THE INSTALLATION WAS IN ROCKY SOIL, AND CONSISTED OF FILLING A BOWL SHAPED DEPRESSION WITH CONCRETE 8 INCHES DEEP BY 12 INCHES ROUND, TAPERING TO THE EDGE, AND THEN LAYING AN ANCHOR IN THE CONCRETE. I NOTICED NO RESISTANCE WHEN I BEGAN TO TAXI. I THOUGHT MY FATHER HAD REMOVED THE L WING TIE DOWN. I SHOULD HAVE CHKED MYSELF. I MADE AN ASSUMPTION I SHOULD NOT HAVE MADE. POSSIBLY I WAS DISTR DUE TO MY WIFE BEING IN THE HOSPITAL.

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.