GA small aircraft encounters rough engine operation after takeoff. Emergency declared. Return and la...

Attributes
ACN	97062
Time
Date	198810
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cak
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cak artcc : zma
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Experience	flight time total : 28
ASRS Report	97062
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I'm a student pilot with 28 hours flying time. Flying from FBO at cak in an small aircraft. What happened was the fuel tank selector switch got stuck between on and off. This allowed enough fuel through to have fuel pressure at low rpms (below 1800). So during engine runup I had fuel pressure. But once departed from runway 19 and climbing out on heading of 260 degrees, the engine started sputtering and coughing and producing no fuel pressure. I checked everything but never switched over the fuel switch. Both tanks were full and the switch looked like it was pointing to the left tank (but it was partially off). I declared an emergency and flew back to cak where the problem was discovered by a FBO maintenance man.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA ENCOUNTERS ROUGH ENGINE OPERATION AFTER TKOF. EMERGENCY DECLARED. RETURN AND LAND.

Narrative: I'M A STUDENT PLT WITH 28 HRS FLYING TIME. FLYING FROM FBO AT CAK IN AN SMA. WHAT HAPPENED WAS THE FUEL TANK SELECTOR SWITCH GOT STUCK BETWEEN ON AND OFF. THIS ALLOWED ENOUGH FUEL THROUGH TO HAVE FUEL PRESSURE AT LOW RPMS (BELOW 1800). SO DURING ENG RUNUP I HAD FUEL PRESSURE. BUT ONCE DEPARTED FROM RWY 19 AND CLBING OUT ON HDG OF 260 DEGS, THE ENG STARTED SPUTTERING AND COUGHING AND PRODUCING NO FUEL PRESSURE. I CHKED EVERYTHING BUT NEVER SWITCHED OVER THE FUEL SWITCH. BOTH TANKS WERE FULL AND THE SWITCH LOOKED LIKE IT WAS POINTING TO THE LEFT TANK (BUT IT WAS PARTIALLY OFF). I DECLARED AN EMER AND FLEW BACK TO CAK WHERE THE PROB WAS DISCOVERED BY A FBO MAINT MAN.

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 encounters rough engine operation after takeoff. Emergency declared. Return and land.