<< >> NASA ASRS Report 259318, December 1993

Small aircraft cleared for takeoff but engine stalls on power application. Engine dies. Forces go around.

Attributes
ACN	259318
Time
Date	199312
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : aus
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 2600
ASRS Report	259318
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : rejected takeoff flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Cleared for immediate takeoff, another aircraft on 2 mi final. At throttle application for takeoff, engine stopped. I had assumed (incorrectly) that pilot being checked out in left seat had placed electric fuel pump switch in 'off' position after engine start. Switch view was blocked by control column. After placing switch to 'off' position, engine was started and aircraft taxied off runway for engine check. Air carrier on final had to make go around. Engine checked ok and subsequent takeoff clearance received. Each task action of pilot being checked out should have been observed. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states this turbo aircraft has an electrical fuel pump to back up engine driven pump if it should fail in-flight. Normal procedure is to turn it on to charge the system, then turn it off for start up. Reporter dealing with a very experienced pilot and did not feel he needed to monitor everything so closely. That's a gotcha! Night and control column position made it difficult to see switch. Takes full responsibility for the error.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA CLRED FOR TKOF BUT ENG STALLS ON PWR APPLICATION. ENG DIES. FORCES GAR.

Narrative: CLRED FOR IMMEDIATE TKOF, ANOTHER ACFT ON 2 MI FINAL. AT THROTTLE APPLICATION FOR TKOF, ENG STOPPED. I HAD ASSUMED (INCORRECTLY) THAT PLT BEING CHKED OUT IN L SEAT HAD PLACED ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP SWITCH IN 'OFF' POS AFTER ENG START. SWITCH VIEW WAS BLOCKED BY CTL COLUMN. AFTER PLACING SWITCH TO 'OFF' POS, ENG WAS STARTED AND ACFT TAXIED OFF RWY FOR ENG CHK. ACR ON FINAL HAD TO MAKE GAR. ENG CHKED OK AND SUBSEQUENT TKOF CLRNC RECEIVED. EACH TASK ACTION OF PLT BEING CHKED OUT SHOULD HAVE BEEN OBSERVED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES THIS TURBO ACFT HAS AN ELECTRICAL FUEL PUMP TO BACK UP ENG DRIVEN PUMP IF IT SHOULD FAIL INFLT. NORMAL PROC IS TO TURN IT ON TO CHARGE THE SYS, THEN TURN IT OFF FOR START UP. RPTR DEALING WITH A VERY EXPERIENCED PLT AND DID NOT FEEL HE NEEDED TO MONITOR EVERYTHING SO CLOSELY. THAT'S A GOTCHA! NIGHT AND CTL COLUMN POS MADE IT DIFFICULT TO SEE SWITCH. TAKES FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ERROR.

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.