Narrative:

Takeoff was aborted due to no airspeed indication on any of the three airspeed indicators. I quickly realized that this was due to the pitot tube covers not being removed that I had remembered seeing on the aircraft earlier. I had done several pre-flights during our extended loading process one normal and 2 checking for any accumulation of frost. I had clearly thought of removing them but reasoned that I wasn't quit sure where to put them; knowing that plugs where kept in a red bag in zone 10 and that it would not be accessible during loading and I figured it would be best to wait until maintenance came to marshal us out and pull the heater cart; I have since realized the bag is now in zone 1 and I should have just pulled them. I also clearly remember thinking I was pretty safe because there was no way we could be marshaled off the gate with these 4 red flag covers right on the nose; somebody would surly notice; I of course now know this thinking was clearly flawed. The mechanic's were doing a shift change and not around for our start up; I don't understand how a ground crew could even let us start the engines with those covers on. When we came back to the gate the lead was there and said 'I saw those ribbon things and wondered what they were.' we ask her why she didn't signal us but she had no answer. The end of loading got kind of hectic when our finial weight numbers were given to us with the load control sheet and the dg paperwork was given at the same time. [The first officer] started on the weight manifest and I went out to check the haz. When I came back aboard he was just finishing the weight and balance and gave it to me to check and said he was going out to get the tail-stand and I assumed a final walk-around. I signed and checked the weight manifest and the load control sheet and separated and organized the paperwork to leave at the station; as I finished first officer was already closing the main cargo door. I should have reopened the door and done a final walk-around but since we where very late trying to make up time decided against it. Failure of the airspeed indicators during takeoff roll.1. Inadequate preflight of the flight crew. 2. Installation of the pitot covers by maintenance in clear weather conditions when not required and their absence to remove the covers at the time of departure. 3. The [contract] ground crew not alerting us the covers were on.aborted takeoff with a return to the gate followed by a subsequent re-release and logbook write up of the event and inspection of the pitot tubes by thee mechanics. It's my opinion the pitot tube covers should only be installed during extended sits or freezing precipitation and only installed and removed with all of the covers and plugs by maintenance as a procedure. I am a firm believer in triggers and flows to promote positive habits and procedures. I would like to see a change in the duty of stowing the ladder and closing the main cargo door at departure time assigned to the captain when the first officer comes aboard with the tailstand; at this time the closing of the door could be a trigger to go down the ladder and make one last final clockwise preflight of the aircraft making sure all doors are closed; gear pins; tailstand; plugs and covers removed. Make sure ground crews that marshal aircraft are trained to recognize 'remove before flight' items.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATR72 flight crew report an attempted takeoff with three pitot tube covers installed. The takeoff is rejected and the factors leading up to this incident are detailed.

Narrative: Takeoff was aborted due to no airspeed indication on any of the three airspeed indicators. I quickly realized that this was due to the pitot tube covers not being removed that I had remembered seeing on the aircraft earlier. I had done several pre-flights during our extended loading process one normal and 2 checking for any accumulation of frost. I had clearly thought of removing them but reasoned that I wasn't quit sure where to put them; knowing that plugs where kept in a red bag in zone 10 and that it would not be accessible during loading and I figured it would be best to wait until Maintenance came to marshal us out and pull the heater cart; I have since realized the bag is now in Zone 1 and I should have just pulled them. I also clearly remember thinking I was pretty safe because there was no way we could be marshaled off the gate with these 4 red flag covers right on the nose; somebody would surly notice; I of course now know this thinking was clearly flawed. The mechanic's were doing a shift change and not around for our start up; I don't understand how a ground crew could even let us start the engines with those covers on. When we came back to the gate the lead was there and said 'I saw those ribbon things and wondered what they were.' We ask her why she didn't signal us but she had no answer. The end of loading got kind of hectic when our finial weight numbers were given to us with the Load control sheet and the DG paperwork was given at the same time. [The First Officer] started on the weight manifest and I went out to check the Haz. When I came back aboard he was just finishing the weight and Balance and gave it to me to check and said he was going out to get the tail-stand and I assumed a final walk-around. I signed and checked the weight manifest and the Load control sheet and separated and organized the paperwork to leave at the station; as I finished FO was already closing the main cargo door. I should have reopened the door and done a final walk-around but since we where very late trying to make up time decided against it. Failure of the airspeed indicators during takeoff roll.1. Inadequate preflight of the flight crew. 2. Installation of the pitot covers by Maintenance in clear weather conditions when not required and their absence to remove the covers at the time of departure. 3. The [contract] ground crew not alerting us the covers were on.Aborted takeoff with a return to the gate followed by a subsequent re-release and logbook write up of the event and inspection of the pitot tubes by thee mechanics. It's my opinion the pitot tube covers should only be installed during extended sits or freezing precipitation and only installed and removed with all of the covers and plugs by Maintenance as a procedure. I am a firm believer in triggers and flows to promote positive habits and procedures. I would like to see a change in the duty of stowing the ladder and closing the main cargo door at departure time assigned to the Captain when the First Officer comes aboard with the tailstand; at this time the closing of the door could be a trigger to go down the ladder and make one last final clockwise preflight of the aircraft making sure all doors are closed; gear pins; tailstand; plugs and covers removed. Make sure ground crews that marshal aircraft are trained to recognize 'remove before flight' items.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 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.