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C172 pilot uses tow bar to move aircraft and forgets to remove it prior to flight. Discovered on landing; no damage occurs.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 809078 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200810 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : sfo.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | ground : preflight ground : takeoff roll ground : taxi landing : roll |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 940 flight time type : 350 |
| ASRS Report | 809078 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
On the morning of oct/xa/08; I prepared for a VFR flight out of ZZZ. I began my preparation of the aircraft inside the aircraft hangar at XA00 am. I performed a complete preflight inspection inside the hangar due to cold WX and in order to use the hangar's interior lights as it was very dark outside. After doing so; I opened the hangar door and manually towed the aircraft straight out of the hangar using the attachable nosewheel towbar with the aide of a friend nearby. I had to return to the hangar to close its large door from the inside; then walk outside another door to return to the aircraft. The sun had not risen yet and it was still very dark outside. I had been distraction by this action; and in addition to the darkness which prevented me from seeing the towbar as I approached the aircraft from the rear and enter it; I forgot to remove the towbar. I took off from ZZZ and landed the aircraft in ZZZ1 without incident to any aircraft or anything else. I realized the towbar was attached to the nosewheel upon landing in ZZZ1. No aircraft; persons; or property were damaged or hurt due to the event.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: C172 PILOT USES TOW BAR TO MOVE ACFT AND FORGETS TO REMOVE IT PRIOR TO FLIGHT. DISCOVERED ON LANDING; NO DAMAGE OCCURS.
Narrative: ON THE MORNING OF OCT/XA/08; I PREPARED FOR A VFR FLT OUT OF ZZZ. I BEGAN MY PREPARATION OF THE ACFT INSIDE THE ACFT HANGAR AT XA00 AM. I PERFORMED A COMPLETE PREFLT INSPECTION INSIDE THE HANGAR DUE TO COLD WX AND IN ORDER TO USE THE HANGAR'S INTERIOR LIGHTS AS IT WAS VERY DARK OUTSIDE. AFTER DOING SO; I OPENED THE HANGAR DOOR AND MANUALLY TOWED THE ACFT STRAIGHT OUT OF THE HANGAR USING THE ATTACHABLE NOSEWHEEL TOWBAR WITH THE AIDE OF A FRIEND NEARBY. I HAD TO RETURN TO THE HANGAR TO CLOSE ITS LARGE DOOR FROM THE INSIDE; THEN WALK OUTSIDE ANOTHER DOOR TO RETURN TO THE ACFT. THE SUN HAD NOT RISEN YET AND IT WAS STILL VERY DARK OUTSIDE. I HAD BEEN DISTR BY THIS ACTION; AND IN ADDITION TO THE DARKNESS WHICH PREVENTED ME FROM SEEING THE TOWBAR AS I APCHED THE ACFT FROM THE REAR AND ENTER IT; I FORGOT TO REMOVE THE TOWBAR. I TOOK OFF FROM ZZZ AND LANDED THE ACFT IN ZZZ1 WITHOUT INCIDENT TO ANY ACFT OR ANYTHING ELSE. I REALIZED THE TOWBAR WAS ATTACHED TO THE NOSEWHEEL UPON LNDG IN ZZZ1. NO ACFT; PERSONS; OR PROPERTY WERE DAMAGED OR HURT DUE TO THE EVENT.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.