Narrative:

During a takeoff out of montgomery field san diego I felt a thump shortly after rotating and climbing out. I suspected a possible bird strike and did not see any damage from the cockpit. All engine gauges were in operational parameters so I decided to continue to my destination, imperial, ca, and inspect the aircraft for damage there. When I arrived in imperial I was approached by 4 FAA inspectors from san diego on a routine ramp inspection. They immediately noticed a dent on the left horizontal stabilizer and asked me what happened? I mentioned that I felt a thump on climb out and suspected a bird strike. There was no other damage to the aircraft. The inspectors stated that the dent didn't look like a bird strike, a sharp crease. No feathers, etc, and I agreed, but could not think of anything else that could cause the damage during climb out. After the inspectors left I started to tie down and check the aircraft and could not find the chocks. Thinking back I obviously pulled the chocks because I was able to taxi out. My habit is to bring the chocks in the cockpit with me so that I can chock the plane quicker when I get out and I usually leave them on the wing as I climb in. Judging from the damage it is very possible that the chocks came off sometime during takeoff and did that damage if I had left them on the wing. The surprising thing is that I really didn't even have that many distrs to forget the chocks, if that is what caused the damage which at this point seems to be most likely. After discussing it with our chief pilot we concluded that it was a faulty habit pattern and I leave the chocks only in the nose now in that aircraft, a PA-31-310.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHEEL CHOCKS LEFT ON WING FELL OFF DURING TKOF AND STRUCK THE HORIZ STABILIZER MAKING A DENT IN LEADING EDGE.

Narrative: DURING A TKOF OUT OF MONTGOMERY FIELD SAN DIEGO I FELT A THUMP SHORTLY AFTER ROTATING AND CLBING OUT. I SUSPECTED A POSSIBLE BIRD STRIKE AND DID NOT SEE ANY DAMAGE FROM THE COCKPIT. ALL ENG GAUGES WERE IN OPERATIONAL PARAMETERS SO I DECIDED TO CONTINUE TO MY DEST, IMPERIAL, CA, AND INSPECT THE ACFT FOR DAMAGE THERE. WHEN I ARRIVED IN IMPERIAL I WAS APCHED BY 4 FAA INSPECTORS FROM SAN DIEGO ON A ROUTINE RAMP INSPECTION. THEY IMMEDIATELY NOTICED A DENT ON THE L HORIZ STABILIZER AND ASKED ME WHAT HAPPENED? I MENTIONED THAT I FELT A THUMP ON CLBOUT AND SUSPECTED A BIRD STRIKE. THERE WAS NO OTHER DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. THE INSPECTORS STATED THAT THE DENT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE A BIRD STRIKE, A SHARP CREASE. NO FEATHERS, ETC, AND I AGREED, BUT COULD NOT THINK OF ANYTHING ELSE THAT COULD CAUSE THE DAMAGE DURING CLBOUT. AFTER THE INSPECTORS LEFT I STARTED TO TIE DOWN AND CHK THE ACFT AND COULD NOT FIND THE CHOCKS. THINKING BACK I OBVIOUSLY PULLED THE CHOCKS BECAUSE I WAS ABLE TO TAXI OUT. MY HABIT IS TO BRING THE CHOCKS IN THE COCKPIT WITH ME SO THAT I CAN CHOCK THE PLANE QUICKER WHEN I GET OUT AND I USUALLY LEAVE THEM ON THE WING AS I CLB IN. JUDGING FROM THE DAMAGE IT IS VERY POSSIBLE THAT THE CHOCKS CAME OFF SOMETIME DURING TKOF AND DID THAT DAMAGE IF I HAD LEFT THEM ON THE WING. THE SURPRISING THING IS THAT I REALLY DIDN'T EVEN HAVE THAT MANY DISTRS TO FORGET THE CHOCKS, IF THAT IS WHAT CAUSED THE DAMAGE WHICH AT THIS POINT SEEMS TO BE MOST LIKELY. AFTER DISCUSSING IT WITH OUR CHIEF PLT WE CONCLUDED THAT IT WAS A FAULTY HABIT PATTERN AND I LEAVE THE CHOCKS ONLY IN THE NOSE NOW IN THAT ACFT, A PA-31-310.

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.