Failed to remove nose plug on preflight. Attempted takeoff. Return land.

Attributes
ACN	96271
Time
Date	198810
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ase
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ase
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Route In Use	approach : visual departure : noise abatement
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	96271
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I completed what I thought was a thorough preflight just prior to sunrise. Ground personnel had left an intake plug on the #2 engine. It was unflagged and dirty, so I failed to notice it due to the distance off the ground, and the poor light. The agent failed to notice it and I was instructed to start the #2 engine. It started and ran normally by taking in air from the slot for the intake deflectors. We made an intersection takeoff from A6. The engine accelerated slightly slower than normal, but hardly noticeable until we were at V1. At that point in time the engine could not keep accelerating due to its limited air supply. Since we were above V1, and rotating, we continued with the intent to teardrop back to the runway. It was now light enough for me to see the intake plug. Since all engine parameters were normal and the plug did not appear to be in danger of being sucked in as FOD (due to the reduced power and the plug's design) I left the engine running at flight idle. At no time was any engine parameter near being exceeded. Upon shutdown the plug was easily removed. Plugs should be made more visible! I should have used a flashlight on preflight. People need to be aware that the engine will run quite well breathing through this alternate air source.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FAILED TO REMOVE NOSE PLUG ON PREFLT. ATTEMPTED TKOF. RETURN LAND.

Narrative: I COMPLETED WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A THOROUGH PREFLT JUST PRIOR TO SUNRISE. GND PERSONNEL HAD LEFT AN INTAKE PLUG ON THE #2 ENG. IT WAS UNFLAGGED AND DIRTY, SO I FAILED TO NOTICE IT DUE TO THE DISTANCE OFF THE GND, AND THE POOR LIGHT. THE AGENT FAILED TO NOTICE IT AND I WAS INSTRUCTED TO START THE #2 ENG. IT STARTED AND RAN NORMALLY BY TAKING IN AIR FROM THE SLOT FOR THE INTAKE DEFLECTORS. WE MADE AN INTXN TKOF FROM A6. THE ENG ACCELERATED SLIGHTLY SLOWER THAN NORMAL, BUT HARDLY NOTICEABLE UNTIL WE WERE AT V1. AT THAT POINT IN TIME THE ENG COULD NOT KEEP ACCELERATING DUE TO ITS LIMITED AIR SUPPLY. SINCE WE WERE ABOVE V1, AND ROTATING, WE CONTINUED WITH THE INTENT TO TEARDROP BACK TO THE RWY. IT WAS NOW LIGHT ENOUGH FOR ME TO SEE THE INTAKE PLUG. SINCE ALL ENG PARAMETERS WERE NORMAL AND THE PLUG DID NOT APPEAR TO BE IN DANGER OF BEING SUCKED IN AS FOD (DUE TO THE REDUCED PWR AND THE PLUG'S DESIGN) I LEFT THE ENG RUNNING AT FLT IDLE. AT NO TIME WAS ANY ENG PARAMETER NEAR BEING EXCEEDED. UPON SHUTDOWN THE PLUG WAS EASILY REMOVED. PLUGS SHOULD BE MADE MORE VISIBLE! I SHOULD HAVE USED A FLASHLIGHT ON PREFLT. PEOPLE NEED TO BE AWARE THAT THE ENG WILL RUN QUITE WELL BREATHING THROUGH THIS ALTERNATE AIR SOURCE.

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.