Narrative:

Shortly after takeoff from mso, it became apparent that all the static instruments were not working properly (airspeed was low and decreasing, altimeters and vsi's had no movement). VFR conditions prevailed, so rather than climb into IFR conditions, we leveled off at pattern altitude, initiated a right turn to the downwind for runway 11 at mso. I informed tower of our intentions. I selected altitude static, my static instruments came alive. I then took control of the airplane (it was first officer's leg) and landed. After the passenger were deplaned, I got out and discovered that all the static ports were covered with tape. This incident occurred because: 1) the aircraft was washed the night before and the washers forgot to remove the tape. 2) more importantly, my first officer, who accomplished the preflight check, failed to notice that every static port on the exterior of the aircraft was covered with tape. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: the reporter flies swearingen metroliners for a commuter air carrier. He agrees that putting tape of a contrasting color over the static vents would probably lessen the chance of this incident recurring. He will pass this idea on to his chief pilot. His air carrier procedures requires that an aircraft be turned over to maintenance and the air carrier operations notified after an air interruption. There was no way the reporter could remove the tape and go on his way. His chief pilot was angry with the washers and the first officer for not removing the tape, and mad at the captain for general principles. Supplemental information from acn 264982: normal preflight inspection inside hangar. At approximately 300 AGL, airspeed began to decay, vsi and altimeter showed '0' indications or changes. Upon exiting aircraft, noticed static ports tapes over with tape similar in color to company stripes. In winter months, local FBO provides contract hangar service. Aircraft had been washed by FBO, then hangared. Aircraft washers taped over static ports. Tape color similar to company stripes. Early show at airport in an earlier time zone (walking asleep).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR METROLINER HAD TO RETURN LAND AFTER TAKING OFF WITH THE STATIC PORTS COVERED WITH TAPE.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER TKOF FROM MSO, IT BECAME APPARENT THAT ALL THE STATIC INSTS WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY (AIRSPD WAS LOW AND DECREASING, ALTIMETERS AND VSI'S HAD NO MOVEMENT). VFR CONDITIONS PREVAILED, SO RATHER THAN CLB INTO IFR CONDITIONS, WE LEVELED OFF AT PATTERN ALT, INITIATED A R TURN TO THE DOWNWIND FOR RWY 11 AT MSO. I INFORMED TWR OF OUR INTENTIONS. I SELECTED ALT STATIC, MY STATIC INSTS CAME ALIVE. I THEN TOOK CTL OF THE AIRPLANE (IT WAS FO'S LEG) AND LANDED. AFTER THE PAX WERE DEPLANED, I GOT OUT AND DISCOVERED THAT ALL THE STATIC PORTS WERE COVERED WITH TAPE. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED BECAUSE: 1) THE ACFT WAS WASHED THE NIGHT BEFORE AND THE WASHERS FORGOT TO REMOVE THE TAPE. 2) MORE IMPORTANTLY, MY FO, WHO ACCOMPLISHED THE PREFLT CHK, FAILED TO NOTICE THAT EVERY STATIC PORT ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE ACFT WAS COVERED WITH TAPE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THE RPTR FLIES SWEARINGEN METROLINERS FOR A COMMUTER ACR. HE AGREES THAT PUTTING TAPE OF A CONTRASTING COLOR OVER THE STATIC VENTS WOULD PROBABLY LESSEN THE CHANCE OF THIS INCIDENT RECURRING. HE WILL PASS THIS IDEA ON TO HIS CHIEF PLT. HIS ACR PROCS REQUIRES THAT AN ACFT BE TURNED OVER TO MAINT AND THE ACR OPS NOTIFIED AFTER AN AIR INTERRUPTION. THERE WAS NO WAY THE RPTR COULD REMOVE THE TAPE AND GO ON HIS WAY. HIS CHIEF PLT WAS ANGRY WITH THE WASHERS AND THE FO FOR NOT REMOVING THE TAPE, AND MAD AT THE CAPT FOR GENERAL PRINCIPLES. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 264982: NORMAL PREFLT INSPECTION INSIDE HANGAR. AT APPROX 300 AGL, AIRSPD BEGAN TO DECAY, VSI AND ALTIMETER SHOWED '0' INDICATIONS OR CHANGES. UPON EXITING ACFT, NOTICED STATIC PORTS TAPES OVER WITH TAPE SIMILAR IN COLOR TO COMPANY STRIPES. IN WINTER MONTHS, LCL FBO PROVIDES CONTRACT HANGAR SVC. ACFT HAD BEEN WASHED BY FBO, THEN HANGARED. ACFT WASHERS TAPED OVER STATIC PORTS. TAPE COLOR SIMILAR TO COMPANY STRIPES. EARLY SHOW AT ARPT IN AN EARLIER TIME ZONE (WALKING ASLEEP).

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.