An small aircraft freight charter pilot had an engine problem at night that required him to return a...

Attributes
ACN	212849
Time
Date	199206
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : stl
State Reference	MO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : stl
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	arrival other departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 1900 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	212849
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I had completed runup and checked the aircraft prior to taxiing for takeoff. Everything seemed to be normal. I was cleared for takeoff and started the roll. After getting off the ground, I noticed I wasn't getting nearly the power that I would normally get. All the gauges checked ok except for the fuel flow which showed much lower than normal indications. I felt the safest thing for me to do would be circle and land on runway 17 (the closest runway). I safely landed and taxied back to the ramp. (Once in the air, I turned on the low electric fuel pump which helped the fuel flow but not significantly). Back at the ramp, I checked the fuel sumps for water and sediment. That proved to show to be negative. Then, I checked for any obvious fuel leaks, which I could not find. Then I ran the engine up a few times and ran it for a good while. After all that, everything was running normally so I decided to try another takeoff. Prior to taxiing, I indicated to ground that, if I noticed anything abnormal there would be plenty of room to abort the takeoff, but I was confident these wouldn't be a problem. Anyway, I took off and all indications were normal so I continued the takeoff and flight. No problems arose during the flight and successfully landed at bowman field at louisville, ky.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA FREIGHT CHARTER PLT HAD AN ENG PROBLEM AT NIGHT THAT REQUIRED HIM TO RETURN AND LAND.

Narrative: I HAD COMPLETED RUNUP AND CHKED THE ACFT PRIOR TO TAXIING FOR TKOF. EVERYTHING SEEMED TO BE NORMAL. I WAS CLRED FOR TKOF AND STARTED THE ROLL. AFTER GETTING OFF THE GND, I NOTICED I WASN'T GETTING NEARLY THE PWR THAT I WOULD NORMALLY GET. ALL THE GAUGES CHKED OK EXCEPT FOR THE FUEL FLOW WHICH SHOWED MUCH LOWER THAN NORMAL INDICATIONS. I FELT THE SAFEST THING FOR ME TO DO WOULD BE CIRCLE AND LAND ON RWY 17 (THE CLOSEST RWY). I SAFELY LANDED AND TAXIED BACK TO THE RAMP. (ONCE IN THE AIR, I TURNED ON THE LOW ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP WHICH HELPED THE FUEL FLOW BUT NOT SIGNIFICANTLY). BACK AT THE RAMP, I CHKED THE FUEL SUMPS FOR WATER AND SEDIMENT. THAT PROVED TO SHOW TO BE NEGATIVE. THEN, I CHKED FOR ANY OBVIOUS FUEL LEAKS, WHICH I COULD NOT FIND. THEN I RAN THE ENG UP A FEW TIMES AND RAN IT FOR A GOOD WHILE. AFTER ALL THAT, EVERYTHING WAS RUNNING NORMALLY SO I DECIDED TO TRY ANOTHER TKOF. PRIOR TO TAXIING, I INDICATED TO GND THAT, IF I NOTICED ANYTHING ABNORMAL THERE WOULD BE PLENTY OF ROOM TO ABORT THE TKOF, BUT I WAS CONFIDENT THESE WOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM. ANYWAY, I TOOK OFF AND ALL INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL SO I CONTINUED THE TKOF AND FLT. NO PROBLEMS AROSE DURING THE FLT AND SUCCESSFULLY LANDED AT BOWMAN FIELD AT LOUISVILLE, KY.

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.

An small aircraft freight charter pilot had an engine problem at night that required him to return and land.