Tower reported smoke coming out of the left engine as a commuter aircraft took off. Return land.

Attributes
ACN	137801
Time
Date	199002
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : laf
State Reference	IN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : laf
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 1950 flight time type : 450
ASRS Report	137801
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 3800 flight time type : 1700
ASRS Report	137804
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On takeoff, tower informed us we had smoke trailing from the left engine. We returned to laf with an uneventful landing and crash fire rescue equipment standing by. Passenger were evacuated out right rear emergency exit uneventfully. On taxiing to gate, the left engine was shut down.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TWR REPORTED SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE LEFT ENGINE AS A COMMUTER ACFT TOOK OFF. RETURN LAND.

Narrative: ON TKOF, TWR INFORMED US WE HAD SMOKE TRAILING FROM THE LEFT ENGINE. WE RETURNED TO LAF WITH AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG AND CFR STANDING BY. PAX WERE EVACUATED OUT RIGHT REAR EMER EXIT UNEVENTFULLY. ON TAXIING TO GATE, THE LEFT ENGINE WAS SHUT DOWN.

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