Biplane has engine failure on takeoff. Able to turn back to airport for landing.

Attributes
ACN	244415
Time
Date	199306
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hya
State Reference	MA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 600 agl bound upper : 600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : hya
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff landing other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 2400
ASRS Report	244415
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I was cleared for takeoff on runway 6, to make left traffic for takeoff and landing practice. At approximately 600 ft above the ground, the engine stopped. I returned to the airport and landed on runway 24, after declaring an emergency. I went off the runway on to the grass on the rollout, and stopped. There were no injuries or damage to the aircraft or anything on the ground. Subsequent investigation revealed that the friction lock on the mixture control was not properly engaged. Allowing the mixture control to vibrate out to idle cutoff. A practiced emergency cockpit checklist would have revealed the mixture control in the wrong position. I could have adjusted it properly and the engine would have restarted.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BIPLANE HAS ENG FAILURE ON TKOF. ABLE TO TURN BACK TO ARPT FOR LNDG.

Narrative: I WAS CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 6, TO MAKE L TFC FOR TKOF AND LNDG PRACTICE. AT APPROX 600 FT ABOVE THE GND, THE ENG STOPPED. I RETURNED TO THE ARPT AND LANDED ON RWY 24, AFTER DECLARING AN EMER. I WENT OFF THE RWY ON TO THE GRASS ON THE ROLLOUT, AND STOPPED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE TO THE ACFT OR ANYTHING ON THE GND. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE FRICTION LOCK ON THE MIXTURE CTL WAS NOT PROPERLY ENGAGED. ALLOWING THE MIXTURE CTL TO VIBRATE OUT TO IDLE CUTOFF. A PRACTICED EMER COCKPIT CHKLIST WOULD HAVE REVEALED THE MIXTURE CTL IN THE WRONG POS. I COULD HAVE ADJUSTED IT PROPERLY AND THE ENG WOULD HAVE RESTARTED.

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.