Flight crew of cummuter light transport departs atl with pitot-static test equipent still installed ...

Attributes
ACN	140913
Time
Date	199003
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 50
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : atl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	140913
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 267 flight time total : 2600 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	141328
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

When we arrived to the aircraft, mechanics were performing a pitot static test and other mechanics were performing a daily check of the aircraft. After the daily check was complete the first officer performed a preflight and noticed test equipment attached to the left pitot tube and the auxiliary pitot tube with banners (remove before flight) attached but still rolled up. After the test was complete and the logbooks signed off the first officer performed another preflight and noticed the mechanics removing the test equipment from the left side of the airplane. The aircraft was then boarded and taxied for departure. After takeoff I noticed a 'slapping' sound from the right side of the fuselage. I then requested to return and land. We immediately were cleared to land runway 8L atl. We taxied back to the gate and the mechanics removed the test equipment from the auxiliary pitot tube and we were on our way again. I feel that since the test equipment had banners on it they should have been used, because if the mechanics forget it then hopefully a ramp agent would have seen it before he cleared us to start engines, or another aircraft would have seen it before we took off and told us. I also feel that preflight inspections should be performed only after the mechanics have left the airplane, not just after the paperwork is complete. Supplemental information from acn 141328. I noticed that the red 'remove before flight' flag was rolled up tightly and tied off so that it would not be noticed (presumably to keep it out of the way). After takeoff we heard a low slapping sound outside the aircraft and returned for a normal landing. The ground crewman found that the flag had unfurled but was still attached. In retrospect it would have been a good idea to wait and watch the the mechanic remove the cuff, but the flight was already late and we had much work to do. In the future I will make doubly sure that an item such as a pitot tube has been cleared before flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF CUMMUTER LTT DEPARTS ATL WITH PITOT-STATIC TEST EQUIPENT STILL INSTALLED ON RIGHT SIDE OF ACFT. WARNING FLAGS ON TEST EQUIPMENT HAD BEEN ROLLED UP. ACFT RETURNED TO LAND.

Narrative: WHEN WE ARRIVED TO THE ACFT, MECHS WERE PERFORMING A PITOT STATIC TEST AND OTHER MECHS WERE PERFORMING A DAILY CHK OF THE ACFT. AFTER THE DAILY CHK WAS COMPLETE THE F/O PERFORMED A PREFLT AND NOTICED TEST EQUIP ATTACHED TO THE L PITOT TUBE AND THE AUX PITOT TUBE WITH BANNERS (REMOVE BEFORE FLT) ATTACHED BUT STILL ROLLED UP. AFTER THE TEST WAS COMPLETE AND THE LOGBOOKS SIGNED OFF THE F/O PERFORMED ANOTHER PREFLT AND NOTICED THE MECHS REMOVING THE TEST EQUIP FROM THE L SIDE OF THE AIRPLANE. THE ACFT WAS THEN BOARDED AND TAXIED FOR DEP. AFTER TKOF I NOTICED A 'SLAPPING' SOUND FROM THE R SIDE OF THE FUSELAGE. I THEN REQUESTED TO RETURN AND LAND. WE IMMEDIATELY WERE CLRED TO LAND RWY 8L ATL. WE TAXIED BACK TO THE GATE AND THE MECHS REMOVED THE TEST EQUIP FROM THE AUX PITOT TUBE AND WE WERE ON OUR WAY AGAIN. I FEEL THAT SINCE THE TEST EQUIP HAD BANNERS ON IT THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN USED, BECAUSE IF THE MECHS FORGET IT THEN HOPEFULLY A RAMP AGENT WOULD HAVE SEEN IT BEFORE HE CLRED US TO START ENGS, OR ANOTHER ACFT WOULD HAVE SEEN IT BEFORE WE TOOK OFF AND TOLD US. I ALSO FEEL THAT PREFLT INSPECTIONS SHOULD BE PERFORMED ONLY AFTER THE MECHS HAVE LEFT THE AIRPLANE, NOT JUST AFTER THE PAPERWORK IS COMPLETE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 141328. I NOTICED THAT THE RED 'REMOVE BEFORE FLT' FLAG WAS ROLLED UP TIGHTLY AND TIED OFF SO THAT IT WOULD NOT BE NOTICED (PRESUMABLY TO KEEP IT OUT OF THE WAY). AFTER TKOF WE HEARD A LOW SLAPPING SOUND OUTSIDE THE ACFT AND RETURNED FOR A NORMAL LNDG. THE GND CREWMAN FOUND THAT THE FLAG HAD UNFURLED BUT WAS STILL ATTACHED. IN RETROSPECT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A GOOD IDEA TO WAIT AND WATCH THE THE MECH REMOVE THE CUFF, BUT THE FLT WAS ALREADY LATE AND WE HAD MUCH WORK TO DO. IN THE FUTURE I WILL MAKE DOUBLY SURE THAT AN ITEM SUCH AS A PITOT TUBE HAS BEEN CLRED BEFORE FLT.

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.

Flight crew of cummuter light transport departs atl with pitot-static test equipent still installed on right side of aircraft. Warning flags on test equipment had been rolled up. Aircraft returned to land.