An ATR-42 flight crew returns lands when they note a surging torque meter 18MI north of ewr, nj.

Attributes
ACN	526386
Time
Date	200110
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr.airport
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl single value : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	ATR 42
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 1200 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	526386
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : company policies non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed in emergency condition other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance Company

Narrative:

We were climbing out of ewr going to bdl and the torque started surging. It did it once and then was okay. We were sellcalled as well. At the same time, the torque started surging more. The captain said we left the log book in ewr and because of the surging torque we decided to return to ewr. We landed with no problems. Trucks were rolled out, but not needed. Logbook was taken out of the aircraft and the captain failed to verify if it was in the cockpit prior to takeoff.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ATR-42 FLC RETURNS LANDS WHEN THEY NOTE A SURGING TORQUE METER 18MI N OF EWR, NJ.

Narrative: WE WERE CLBING OUT OF EWR GOING TO BDL AND THE TORQUE STARTED SURGING. IT DID IT ONCE AND THEN WAS OKAY. WE WERE SELLCALLED AS WELL. AT THE SAME TIME, THE TORQUE STARTED SURGING MORE. THE CAPT SAID WE LEFT THE LOG BOOK IN EWR AND BECAUSE OF THE SURGING TORQUE WE DECIDED TO RETURN TO EWR. WE LANDED WITH NO PROBLEMS. TRUCKS WERE ROLLED OUT, BUT NOT NEEDED. LOGBOOK WAS TAKEN OUT OF THE ACFT AND THE CAPT FAILED TO VERIFY IF IT WAS IN THE COCKPIT PRIOR TO TKOF.

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.