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C172 private pilot departs private strip with cowling plugs and pitot cover still installed on aircraft.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 689531 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200603 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : initial ground : preflight ground : takeoff roll |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 700 flight time type : 600 |
| ASRS Report | 689531 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : landed in emergency condition |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
On preflight; failed to remove pitot cover and cowling plugs. Got distraction during preflight; had to move aircraft from soft mud area and did not complete preflight prior to starting engine. Had parked aircraft approximately 1.5 hours previously. After moving aircraft; failed to do walkaround prior to takeoff and missed plugs and cover. Took off and realized error about 200 ft AGL. Did rapid turn and landing at departure airport. Departure airport is uncontrolled private turf strip. Will never take aircraft into air again without doing complete walkaround; no matter how short of time on ground or conditions. This was wake-up call that any short-cut in preflight process is unacceptable and potentially life threatening.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: C172 PVT PLT DEPARTS PVT STRIP WITH COWLING PLUGS AND PITOT COVER STILL INSTALLED ON ACFT.
Narrative: ON PREFLT; FAILED TO REMOVE PITOT COVER AND COWLING PLUGS. GOT DISTR DURING PREFLT; HAD TO MOVE ACFT FROM SOFT MUD AREA AND DID NOT COMPLETE PREFLT PRIOR TO STARTING ENG. HAD PARKED ACFT APPROX 1.5 HRS PREVIOUSLY. AFTER MOVING ACFT; FAILED TO DO WALKAROUND PRIOR TO TKOF AND MISSED PLUGS AND COVER. TOOK OFF AND REALIZED ERROR ABOUT 200 FT AGL. DID RAPID TURN AND LNDG AT DEP ARPT. DEP ARPT IS UNCTLED PVT TURF STRIP. WILL NEVER TAKE ACFT INTO AIR AGAIN WITHOUT DOING COMPLETE WALKAROUND; NO MATTER HOW SHORT OF TIME ON GND OR CONDITIONS. THIS WAS WAKE-UP CALL THAT ANY SHORT-CUT IN PREFLT PROCESS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.