Immediately after takeoff at las pilot heard popping, returned and landed.

Attributes
ACN	161786
Time
Date	199011
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : las
State Reference	NV
Altitude	agl bound lower : 30 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : las
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 1800 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	161786
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

After departure approximately 300' off the ground, pops were heard in the back of the aircraft. I immediately pulled the aircraft to blue line and inspected the engine gauges to find no problem with them. After reaching 500', called the tower to come back to land. Not knowing if this was a backfire of the engines or heater, I entered left traffic and landed. Upon taxiing back to FBO I was told to taxi straight ahead. Doing what I was advised by ground to do, this brought me across the runway. I exited off at delta and went to park. The taxiway lights (blue) were nonexistent. Off the high speed taxiway all I had as a reference was a green light in the center of the taxiway that did not completely follow the taxiway across the runway or through the other side. After parking I inspected the heater and found no visibility problems with the unit. Both engines were run up and inspected for backfiring, manifold pressure itt and eat. All were found to be ok. Cause of problem: possible change in air flow over heater induction area and flame-out with unit attempting to light.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF AT LAS PLT HEARD POPPING, RETURNED AND LANDED.

Narrative: AFTER DEP APPROX 300' OFF THE GND, POPS WERE HEARD IN THE BACK OF THE ACFT. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED THE ACFT TO BLUE LINE AND INSPECTED THE ENG GAUGES TO FIND NO PROB WITH THEM. AFTER REACHING 500', CALLED THE TWR TO COME BACK TO LAND. NOT KNOWING IF THIS WAS A BACKFIRE OF THE ENGS OR HEATER, I ENTERED LEFT TFC AND LANDED. UPON TAXIING BACK TO FBO I WAS TOLD TO TAXI STRAIGHT AHEAD. DOING WHAT I WAS ADVISED BY GND TO DO, THIS BROUGHT ME ACROSS THE RWY. I EXITED OFF AT DELTA AND WENT TO PARK. THE TXWY LIGHTS (BLUE) WERE NONEXISTENT. OFF THE HIGH SPD TXWY ALL I HAD AS A REF WAS A GREEN LIGHT IN THE CENTER OF THE TXWY THAT DID NOT COMPLETELY FOLLOW THE TXWY ACROSS THE RWY OR THROUGH THE OTHER SIDE. AFTER PARKING I INSPECTED THE HEATER AND FOUND NO VIS PROBS WITH THE UNIT. BOTH ENGS WERE RUN UP AND INSPECTED FOR BACKFIRING, MANIFOLD PRESSURE ITT AND EAT. ALL WERE FOUND TO BE OK. CAUSE OF PROB: POSSIBLE CHANGE IN AIR FLOW OVER HEATER INDUCTION AREA AND FLAME-OUT WITH UNIT ATTEMPTING TO LIGHT.

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.