Narrative:

Took off in VMC conditions on a flight with a safety pilot to practice instrument approaches VFR. While taxiing we noted a very brief; slight shudder in what we thought was the nose wheel. We decided we might have ran over a rough spot. We noted it seriously. We did the run up and taxied and started the takeoff roll. There was the same shudder just before liftoff. I considered aborting but we lifted off too quickly. After retracting the gear; I decided to ask the tower for a low pass to see if my nose wheel had retracted properly. They informed me there was a tow bar hanging out. We decided to fly over the field and lower the gear and see if it would fall off. It did not. The tow bar had passed under the tire and was trailing the tire. Everything appear ok otherwise. We did a slow nose high landing. We exited to the taxi way and removed the tow bar.why was the tow bar left on? This was a case where two pilots both thought the other had removed it. We have two planes in our hangar and they have to be exchanged front to back. This requires moving the front one out and pulling the rear one out and putting the front one back. This day was especially difficult due to ice and packed snow in front of the hangar. We used a gas powered hand tug for the plane we were not flying this day. I placed the tow bar for it where we would normally place the tow bar for the one we were flying. When I asked if we had removed the tow bar on the first check list item on the startup checklist. The safety pilot replied the tow bar was in the hangar. He thought I put it there and I thought he did. It was the tow bar from the other plane. How to improve the procedure so it does not happen again? I have always tried to take the tow bar off immediately after towing the plane to starting position in front of the hangar. I helped pull the plane in place but did not handle the tow bar this time. I am considering putting the tow bar in plane when I remove it from the nose wheel so I can see it in the plane when I do the check list.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C177RG pilot reported taking off with the tow bar still attached.

Narrative: Took off in VMC conditions on a flight with a safety pilot to practice instrument approaches VFR. While taxiing we noted a very brief; slight shudder in what we thought was the nose wheel. We decided we might have ran over a rough spot. We noted it seriously. We did the run up and taxied and started the takeoff roll. There was the same shudder just before liftoff. I considered aborting but we lifted off too quickly. After retracting the gear; I decided to ask the Tower for a low pass to see if my nose wheel had retracted properly. They informed me there was a tow bar hanging out. We decided to fly over the field and lower the gear and see if it would fall off. It did not. The tow bar had passed under the tire and was trailing the tire. Everything appear OK otherwise. We did a slow nose high landing. We exited to the taxi way and removed the tow bar.Why was the tow bar left on? This was a case where two pilots both thought the other had removed it. We have two planes in our hangar and they have to be exchanged front to back. This requires moving the front one out and pulling the rear one out and putting the front one back. This day was especially difficult due to ice and packed snow in front of the hangar. We used a gas powered hand tug for the plane we were not flying this day. I placed the tow bar for it where we would normally place the tow bar for the one we were flying. When I asked if we had removed the tow bar on the first check list item on the startup checklist. The safety pilot replied the tow bar was in the hangar. He thought I put it there and I thought he did. It was the tow bar from the other plane. How to improve the procedure so it does not happen again? I have always tried to take the tow bar off immediately after towing the plane to starting position in front of the hangar. I helped pull the plane in place but did not handle the tow bar this time. I am considering putting the tow bar in plane when I remove it from the nose wheel so I can see it in the plane when I do the check list.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.