Narrative:

Preflight conditions were not ideal, windy, rainy, dark, with thunderstorms in area. All checklists were performed and tests completed. During takeoff roll, I called airspeed alive and 80 KT xchk. Captain called for rejected takeoff procedures. We rejected takeoff according to procedure and returned to gate. Discovered upon close examination of static ports, tape covering all vents. Tape was applied in same pattern as paint worn between ports and was difficult to see. There were no streamers present. If they ever were there, the wind must have blown them away. Contributing factors were the dark night and poor WX conditions. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the airplane was a convair 580 and the static ports were taped over by maintenance. The reporter said maintenance calibrated a digital altimeter system and failed to remove the tape over the static ports. The reporter said maintenance advised red streamers were attached to the tape but were never seen during the walkaround preflight check.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CONVAIR 580 REJECTED TKOF DUE TO AN 80 KT SPLIT BTWN CAPT'S AND FO'S AIRSPD INDICATORS. CAUSED BY STATIC PORTS TAPED BY MAINT AND NOT REMOVED.

Narrative: PREFLT CONDITIONS WERE NOT IDEAL, WINDY, RAINY, DARK, WITH TSTMS IN AREA. ALL CHKLISTS WERE PERFORMED AND TESTS COMPLETED. DURING TKOF ROLL, I CALLED AIRSPD ALIVE AND 80 KT XCHK. CAPT CALLED FOR REJECTED TKOF PROCS. WE REJECTED TKOF ACCORDING TO PROC AND RETURNED TO GATE. DISCOVERED UPON CLOSE EXAMINATION OF STATIC PORTS, TAPE COVERING ALL VENTS. TAPE WAS APPLIED IN SAME PATTERN AS PAINT WORN BTWN PORTS AND WAS DIFFICULT TO SEE. THERE WERE NO STREAMERS PRESENT. IF THEY EVER WERE THERE, THE WIND MUST HAVE BLOWN THEM AWAY. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE DARK NIGHT AND POOR WX CONDITIONS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE AIRPLANE WAS A CONVAIR 580 AND THE STATIC PORTS WERE TAPED OVER BY MAINT. THE RPTR SAID MAINT CALIBRATED A DIGITAL ALTIMETER SYS AND FAILED TO REMOVE THE TAPE OVER THE STATIC PORTS. THE RPTR SAID MAINT ADVISED RED STREAMERS WERE ATTACHED TO THE TAPE BUT WERE NEVER SEEN DURING THE WALKAROUND PREFLT CHK.

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.