A PA28's cylinder head cracked shortly after takeoff on an instructional flight. The flight instruct...

Attributes
ACN	884229
Time
Date	201004
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Initial Climb Takeoff
Route In Use	None
Flight Plan	None
Component
Aircraft Component	Cylinder
Person 1
Function	Instructor
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Instrument
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 250 Flight Crew Total 6500 Flight Crew Type 1500
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical

Narrative:

Departed the airport on a private pilot instruction flight; returning to our flight school. We had started a left turnout and established a course to the west. At 1;500 ft after takeoff; I heard a loud bang from the engine; smoke and the smell of burnt oil in the cockpit. At full forward throttle we had 1;900-2;000 RPM. Then shortly after it dropped to just above idle at full forward throttle. As the instructor; I took the controls; turned the aircraft back to the field; performed the emergency landing checklist and landed safely on the runway. In coordination with maintenance; the problem was established as a cracked cylinder.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA28's cylinder head cracked shortly after takeoff on an instructional flight. The Flight Instructor took control of the aircraft and landed safely at the departure airport.

Narrative: Departed the airport on a private pilot instruction flight; returning to our flight school. We had started a left turnout and established a course to the west. At 1;500 FT after takeoff; I heard a loud bang from the engine; smoke and the smell of burnt oil in the cockpit. At full forward throttle we had 1;900-2;000 RPM. Then shortly after it dropped to just above idle at full forward throttle. As the instructor; I took the controls; turned the aircraft back to the field; performed the emergency landing checklist and landed safely on the runway. In coordination with Maintenance; the problem was established as a cracked cylinder.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

A PA28's cylinder head cracked shortly after takeoff on an instructional flight. The flight instructor took control of the aircraft and landed safely at the departure airport.