Narrative:

Copilot informed me that the preflight inspection had been completed. A few mins were spent reracking an inoperative copilot audio panel, and then it was departure time. Everything normal, taxied to runway 15 and began the takeoff run. About 50 KTS I observed there to be no airspeed indication on either the right or left airspeed indicators. Aborted the takeoff at that point, and returned to the ramp. Upon return company mechanics met us, and asked what the problem was. I told them no airspeed indication, and then they looked up and saw that their pitot test covers (small unflagged plugs) were on. They removed them and we then had a normal departure. In company operations manual it states that the first officer is responsible for the preflight inspection. The maintenance release in the aircraft logbook signified that the mechanics had completed their work, and I assume also to have removed their test equipment and to have restored the aircraft to airworthy condition. They were performing undocumented work at the time. I have received a severe reprimand for not following company procedures and also for poor airmanship. This incident would not have occurred if: the copilot had performed a thorough preflight inspection. The mechanics had not been performing undocumented work, and hence I would have known to pay particular attention to the pitot system.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MDT TKOF ABORT BECAUSE OF NO AIRSPEED INDICATION.

Narrative: COPLT INFORMED ME THAT THE PREFLT INSPECTION HAD BEEN COMPLETED. A FEW MINS WERE SPENT RERACKING AN INOPERATIVE COPLT AUDIO PANEL, AND THEN IT WAS DEP TIME. EVERYTHING NORMAL, TAXIED TO RWY 15 AND BEGAN THE TKOF RUN. ABOUT 50 KTS I OBSERVED THERE TO BE NO AIRSPD INDICATION ON EITHER THE R OR L AIRSPD INDICATORS. ABORTED THE TKOF AT THAT POINT, AND RETURNED TO THE RAMP. UPON RETURN COMPANY MECHS MET US, AND ASKED WHAT THE PROB WAS. I TOLD THEM NO AIRSPD INDICATION, AND THEN THEY LOOKED UP AND SAW THAT THEIR PITOT TEST COVERS (SMALL UNFLAGGED PLUGS) WERE ON. THEY REMOVED THEM AND WE THEN HAD A NORMAL DEP. IN COMPANY OPS MANUAL IT STATES THAT THE F/O IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PREFLT INSPECTION. THE MAINT RELEASE IN THE ACFT LOGBOOK SIGNIFIED THAT THE MECHS HAD COMPLETED THEIR WORK, AND I ASSUME ALSO TO HAVE REMOVED THEIR TEST EQUIP AND TO HAVE RESTORED THE ACFT TO AIRWORTHY CONDITION. THEY WERE PERFORMING UNDOCUMENTED WORK AT THE TIME. I HAVE RECEIVED A SEVERE REPRIMAND FOR NOT FOLLOWING COMPANY PROCS AND ALSO FOR POOR AIRMANSHIP. THIS INCIDENT WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED IF: THE COPLT HAD PERFORMED A THOROUGH PREFLT INSPECTION. THE MECHS HAD NOT BEEN PERFORMING UNDOCUMENTED WORK, AND HENCE I WOULD HAVE KNOWN TO PAY PARTICULAR ATTN TO THE PITOT SYS.

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.