Narrative:

Private pilot flight test in which I was acting as examiner. First takeoff was a planned and briefed soft field takeoff on runway 23 at placerville. Soft field takeoff was initiated at hold line with a rolling takeoff. Power checked satisfactory, plus oil temperature and pressure checked, full back elevator and on centerline. As the elevators became effective and nose wheel came airborne, the pilot applicant began drifting to left of centerline. As nose raised further, now blocking forward runway visibility, the left drift slowed as though the applicant recognized the problem and was initiating a correction. I was going to take control at this point, but it appeared that applicant had control. The left wheel (both mains still on ground) came off the runway and at this point I initiated corrective action, continuing the takeoff and returning to centerline. Returned control to applicant at crosswind. If the examiner has to take control of the aircraft during a check flight this is a failure of that check ride. At this point neither of us had any indication of a light strike. Both of us thought it only a runway excursion and as such agreed to continue the chkride in order to complete as many tasks before a retest. Total flight time was 1 1/2 hours. It was only later that day we found out about the dented right wing and broken runway light. I believe this happened because I delayed taking control of aircraft sooner. Corrective action is being done and future applicants will be briefed as to my taking control for safe flight. Callback conversation revealed the following: confirmed applicant was student pilot getting checked for private license. Also ascertained damage was discovered by next pilot to fly aircraft during preflight. Damage was tear in fabric under wing and as crew had felt no contact with runway light did not post flight check under wing. Examiner said a&P at field said it would be classed as incident and FAA not involved.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA RWY EXCURSION STRUCK RWY LIGHT BEFORE RETURN TO RWY DURING TKOF ROLL USING SOFT FIELD PROC CAUSING SLIGHT DAMAGE TO ACFT AND BREAKING GLASS ON RWY LIGHT.

Narrative: PVT PLT FLT TEST IN WHICH I WAS ACTING AS EXAMINER. FIRST TKOF WAS A PLANNED AND BRIEFED SOFT FIELD TKOF ON RWY 23 AT PLACERVILLE. SOFT FIELD TKOF WAS INITIATED AT HOLD LINE WITH A ROLLING TKOF. PWR CHKED SATISFACTORY, PLUS OIL TEMP AND PRESSURE CHKED, FULL BACK ELEVATOR AND ON CENTERLINE. AS THE ELEVATORS BECAME EFFECTIVE AND NOSE WHEEL CAME AIRBORNE, THE PLT APPLICANT BEGAN DRIFTING TO LEFT OF CENTERLINE. AS NOSE RAISED FURTHER, NOW BLOCKING FORWARD RWY VISIBILITY, THE LEFT DRIFT SLOWED AS THOUGH THE APPLICANT RECOGNIZED THE PROB AND WAS INITIATING A CORRECTION. I WAS GOING TO TAKE CTL AT THIS POINT, BUT IT APPEARED THAT APPLICANT HAD CONTROL. THE LEFT WHEEL (BOTH MAINS STILL ON GND) CAME OFF THE RWY AND AT THIS POINT I INITIATED CORRECTIVE ACTION, CONTINUING THE TKOF AND RETURNING TO CENTERLINE. RETURNED CONTROL TO APPLICANT AT XWIND. IF THE EXAMINER HAS TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE ACFT DURING A CHK FLT THIS IS A FAILURE OF THAT CHK RIDE. AT THIS POINT NEITHER OF US HAD ANY INDICATION OF A LIGHT STRIKE. BOTH OF US THOUGHT IT ONLY A RWY EXCURSION AND AS SUCH AGREED TO CONTINUE THE CHKRIDE IN ORDER TO COMPLETE AS MANY TASKS BEFORE A RETEST. TOTAL FLT TIME WAS 1 1/2 HRS. IT WAS ONLY LATER THAT DAY WE FOUND OUT ABOUT THE DENTED RIGHT WING AND BROKEN RWY LIGHT. I BELIEVE THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE I DELAYED TAKING CONTROL OF ACFT SOONER. CORRECTIVE ACTION IS BEING DONE AND FUTURE APPLICANTS WILL BE BRIEFED AS TO MY TAKING CONTROL FOR SAFE FLT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: CONFIRMED APPLICANT WAS STUDENT PLT GETTING CHKED FOR PVT LICENSE. ALSO ASCERTAINED DAMAGE WAS DISCOVERED BY NEXT PLT TO FLY ACFT DURING PREFLT. DAMAGE WAS TEAR IN FABRIC UNDER WING AND AS CREW HAD FELT NO CONTACT WITH RWY LIGHT DID NOT POST FLT CHK UNDER WING. EXAMINER SAID A&P AT FIELD SAID IT WOULD BE CLASSED AS INCIDENT AND FAA NOT INVOLVED.

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.