GA small aircraft made takeoff with tow bar still attached. Pilot discovered problem when gear would...

Attributes
ACN	87717
Time
Date	198805
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : myf
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : myf
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : preflight
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 115 flight time total : 6650 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	87717
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After takeoff the gear in my small aircraft did not indicate up (no amber light). I requested a downwind turn with montgomery tower and advised them that my gear did not indicate up. Tower clrd me for a left downwind turn for 28L and mentioned that a door/item came loose from my aircraft on takeoff. On lowering the gear handle, the gear indicated down and a normal landing was accomplished. During taxi to my hangar, ground control notified me that a tow-bar was attached to my nose gear. A post-flight revealed no damage to my aircraft. Prior to this flight, I did some exterior cleaning of the aircraft and accomplished the preflight in my t-hangar. After pulling the aircraft out of the hangar, I became concerned about my 2 passenger being properly strapped in and had forgotten about removing the tow-bar. One passenger was my son, age 13, and the other a neighbor's daughter, age 16, which was her first flight in a light plane. In the future to prevent this occurrence, I will accomplish the preflight after the aircraft is in its final spot for taxi and takeoff.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA MADE TKOF WITH TOW BAR STILL ATTACHED. PLT DISCOVERED PROBLEM WHEN GEAR WOULD NOT RETRACT.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF THE GEAR IN MY SMA DID NOT INDICATE UP (NO AMBER LIGHT). I REQUESTED A DOWNWIND TURN WITH MONTGOMERY TWR AND ADVISED THEM THAT MY GEAR DID NOT INDICATE UP. TWR CLRD ME FOR A LEFT DOWNWIND TURN FOR 28L AND MENTIONED THAT A DOOR/ITEM CAME LOOSE FROM MY ACFT ON TKOF. ON LOWERING THE GEAR HANDLE, THE GEAR INDICATED DOWN AND A NORMAL LNDG WAS ACCOMPLISHED. DURING TAXI TO MY HANGAR, GND CTL NOTIFIED ME THAT A TOW-BAR WAS ATTACHED TO MY NOSE GEAR. A POST-FLT REVEALED NO DAMAGE TO MY ACFT. PRIOR TO THIS FLT, I DID SOME EXTERIOR CLEANING OF THE ACFT AND ACCOMPLISHED THE PREFLT IN MY T-HANGAR. AFTER PULLING THE ACFT OUT OF THE HANGAR, I BECAME CONCERNED ABOUT MY 2 PAX BEING PROPERLY STRAPPED IN AND HAD FORGOTTEN ABOUT REMOVING THE TOW-BAR. ONE PAX WAS MY SON, AGE 13, AND THE OTHER A NEIGHBOR'S DAUGHTER, AGE 16, WHICH WAS HER FIRST FLT IN A LIGHT PLANE. IN THE FUTURE TO PREVENT THIS OCCURRENCE, I WILL ACCOMPLISH THE PREFLT AFTER THE ACFT IS IN ITS FINAL SPOT FOR TAXI AND TKOF.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.

GA small aircraft made takeoff with tow bar still attached. Pilot discovered problem when gear would not retract.