Float plane air taxi pilot allows passenger distraction during checklist completion. Switches to wro...

Attributes
ACN	213563
Time
Date	199206
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jnu
State Reference	AK
Altitude	agl bound lower : 50 agl bound upper : 50
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mfr
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 8700 flight time type : 3600
ASRS Report	213563
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Prelndg checklist was followed and fuel tank selector switch set to fullest (forward) tank. Landing completed. Passengers boarded. Passenger on dock complained about a previous flight a few days earlier at which time we wouldn't off load his brother at another float plane location due to aircraft weight and low tide. Today's pilot paid too much attention to complaints and was thinking of this during pretkof checklist. At checklist point 'fuel selector' passenger asked me about looking for bears on way home. I believe the question and preceding complaints caused me to switch the fuel selector to middle tank instead of leaving it on 'fullest' front tank. Engine quit on takeoff (float plane) at about 50 ft AGL. Selector was switched and fuel wobble pump activated. Landing on water was accomplished although it was a hard one. Engine caught and restarted just after touch down and we became airborne. Trip home was completed and aircraft inspection showed no damage. It would be nice to have a sterile cockpit where one could not be bothered by passengers and complainers have a flight attendant to work with. That ain't the case so: if someone or something upsets you or distracts you -- stop -- recollect thoughts and do your job according to the book.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLOAT PLANE AIR TAXI PLT ALLOWS PAX DISTR DURING CHKLIST COMPLETION. SWITCHES TO WRONG TANK. HAS ENG FAIL AT 50 FT ON TKOF. HARD LNDG ON WATER. ENG RESTART AND BECOMES AIRBORNE.

Narrative: PRELNDG CHKLIST WAS FOLLOWED AND FUEL TANK SELECTOR SWITCH SET TO FULLEST (FORWARD) TANK. LNDG COMPLETED. PAXS BOARDED. PAX ON DOCK COMPLAINED ABOUT A PREVIOUS FLT A FEW DAYS EARLIER AT WHICH TIME WE WOULDN'T OFF LOAD HIS BROTHER AT ANOTHER FLOAT PLANE LOCATION DUE TO ACFT WT AND LOW TIDE. TODAY'S PLT PAID TOO MUCH ATTN TO COMPLAINTS AND WAS THINKING OF THIS DURING PRETKOF CHKLIST. AT CHKLIST POINT 'FUEL SELECTOR' PAX ASKED ME ABOUT LOOKING FOR BEARS ON WAY HOME. I BELIEVE THE QUESTION AND PRECEDING COMPLAINTS CAUSED ME TO SWITCH THE FUEL SELECTOR TO MIDDLE TANK INSTEAD OF LEAVING IT ON 'FULLEST' FRONT TANK. ENG QUIT ON TKOF (FLOAT PLANE) AT ABOUT 50 FT AGL. SELECTOR WAS SWITCHED AND FUEL WOBBLE PUMP ACTIVATED. LNDG ON WATER WAS ACCOMPLISHED ALTHOUGH IT WAS A HARD ONE. ENG CAUGHT AND RESTARTED JUST AFTER TOUCH DOWN AND WE BECAME AIRBORNE. TRIP HOME WAS COMPLETED AND ACFT INSPECTION SHOWED NO DAMAGE. IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE A STERILE COCKPIT WHERE ONE COULD NOT BE BOTHERED BY PAXS AND COMPLAINERS HAVE A FLT ATTENDANT TO WORK WITH. THAT AIN'T THE CASE SO: IF SOMEONE OR SOMETHING UPSETS YOU OR DISTRACTS YOU -- STOP -- RECOLLECT THOUGHTS AND DO YOUR JOB ACCORDING TO THE BOOK.

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.

Float plane air taxi pilot allows passenger distraction during checklist completion. Switches to wrong tank. Has engine fail at 50 ft on takeoff. Hard landing on water. Engine restart and becomes airborne.