Biplane return land after rough running engine is detected.

Attributes
ACN	220212
Time
Date	199208
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 23n
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff landing other other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 1000 flight time type : 15
ASRS Report	220212
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 1100 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	219979
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Engine sounded rough on takeoff. Could not abort because runway length did not permit. Continued climb out with some power loss. Made immediate turn to downwind, even though closed traffic pattern not permitted. Executed a safe landing, engine did not quit. The aircraft is now in maintenance. Cause of problem is still unknown. It was not operational, as primer was in and locked, carburetor heat was off and all else normal. How could this have been prevented? I should have aborted at first indication of rough sounding engine, but I thought the pilot (also owner) knew what he was doing. I will never again trust another pilot's judgement when it is contrary to my own. Supplemental information from acn 219979: after takeoff and climb out at bayport, the engine began to lose power. I was able to gain enough altitude to return and make a normal landing. However, after gaining sufficient altitude, I made an immediate turn downwind, shortening the normal pattern. I believe the action taken was necessary.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BIPLANE RETURN LAND AFTER ROUGH RUNNING ENG IS DETECTED.

Narrative: ENG SOUNDED ROUGH ON TKOF. COULD NOT ABORT BECAUSE RWY LENGTH DID NOT PERMIT. CONTINUED CLBOUT WITH SOME PWR LOSS. MADE IMMEDIATE TURN TO DOWNWIND, EVEN THOUGH CLOSED TFC PATTERN NOT PERMITTED. EXECUTED A SAFE LNDG, ENG DID NOT QUIT. THE ACFT IS NOW IN MAINT. CAUSE OF PROBLEM IS STILL UNKNOWN. IT WAS NOT OPERATIONAL, AS PRIMER WAS IN AND LOCKED, CARB HEAT WAS OFF AND ALL ELSE NORMAL. HOW COULD THIS HAVE BEEN PREVENTED? I SHOULD HAVE ABORTED AT FIRST INDICATION OF ROUGH SOUNDING ENG, BUT I THOUGHT THE PLT (ALSO OWNER) KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING. I WILL NEVER AGAIN TRUST ANOTHER PLT'S JUDGEMENT WHEN IT IS CONTRARY TO MY OWN. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 219979: AFTER TKOF AND CLBOUT AT BAYPORT, THE ENG BEGAN TO LOSE PWR. I WAS ABLE TO GAIN ENOUGH ALT TO RETURN AND MAKE A NORMAL LNDG. HOWEVER, AFTER GAINING SUFFICIENT ALT, I MADE AN IMMEDIATE TURN DOWNWIND, SHORTENING THE NORMAL PATTERN. I BELIEVE THE ACTION TAKEN WAS NECESSARY.

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.