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Pwred experimental aircraft test run ends up off the end of the runway.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 300881 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199504 |
| Day | Sun |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : fxe |
| State Reference | FL |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 5 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Experimental |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 750 flight time type : 250 |
| ASRS Report | 300881 |
| Person 2 | |
| Function | observation : passenger observation : observer |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : insufficient time |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
The decision was made to make a high speed taxi run the length of runway 26 at fxe to measure the mixture control/RPM available at takeoff power settings. This was done at the request of an engine mechanic/overhauler due to some rough running engine operations experienced occasionally on clbouts. The mechanic recommended that the test be done on a cold engine so we elected to not do a runup. The assistant I chose (another pilot) and I both felt we would be better off determining the numbers quickly on the runway during a high speed taxi and stopping on the runway or settling the aircraft back down on the runway in the event of a liftoff thinking it would be safer than changing the mixture to a 'rough running point' in the air at less than pattern altitudes. The run was commenced and the measurements were quickly taken. I pulled back the power and set the aircraft back down on the runway. We were too fast and too far down the runway for the speed we had obtained. The go/no-go decision that I made regarding remaining runway was wrong. We left the end of the runway between the lights at slightly less than flying speed (approximately 40-50 mph) and slowed to a stop in the grass just beyond the runway. No damage was done to either the aircraft or the airport equipment. We continued to taxi the aircraft across the grass to the hangar just to the south of the area we were in. I had felt that I should not fly since we did not do a runup and were testing a problem at the very power settings we were going to operate at. Even though we did not do the runup, we should have planned for a go around in the event of insufficient runway/poor reaction time/etc. We had only spoken of stopping and I was unprepared for the event that did occur. The aircraft is an experimental and I am fully aware that many high speed taxi tests end up in problems due to the above scenario but I still 'wanted' to stay on the runway. Better planning and briefing needed. Stupid mistake that will not be made again.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PWRED EXPERIMENTAL ACFT TEST RUN ENDS UP OFF THE END OF THE RWY.
Narrative: THE DECISION WAS MADE TO MAKE A HIGH SPD TAXI RUN THE LENGTH OF RWY 26 AT FXE TO MEASURE THE MIXTURE CTL/RPM AVAILABLE AT TKOF PWR SETTINGS. THIS WAS DONE AT THE REQUEST OF AN ENG MECH/OVERHAULER DUE TO SOME ROUGH RUNNING ENG OPS EXPERIENCED OCCASIONALLY ON CLBOUTS. THE MECH RECOMMENDED THAT THE TEST BE DONE ON A COLD ENG SO WE ELECTED TO NOT DO A RUNUP. THE ASSISTANT I CHOSE (ANOTHER PLT) AND I BOTH FELT WE WOULD BE BETTER OFF DETERMINING THE NUMBERS QUICKLY ON THE RWY DURING A HIGH SPD TAXI AND STOPPING ON THE RWY OR SETTLING THE ACFT BACK DOWN ON THE RWY IN THE EVENT OF A LIFTOFF THINKING IT WOULD BE SAFER THAN CHANGING THE MIXTURE TO A 'ROUGH RUNNING POINT' IN THE AIR AT LESS THAN PATTERN ALTS. THE RUN WAS COMMENCED AND THE MEASUREMENTS WERE QUICKLY TAKEN. I PULLED BACK THE PWR AND SET THE ACFT BACK DOWN ON THE RWY. WE WERE TOO FAST AND TOO FAR DOWN THE RWY FOR THE SPD WE HAD OBTAINED. THE GO/NO-GO DECISION THAT I MADE REGARDING REMAINING RWY WAS WRONG. WE LEFT THE END OF THE RWY BTWN THE LIGHTS AT SLIGHTLY LESS THAN FLYING SPD (APPROX 40-50 MPH) AND SLOWED TO A STOP IN THE GRASS JUST BEYOND THE RWY. NO DAMAGE WAS DONE TO EITHER THE ACFT OR THE ARPT EQUIP. WE CONTINUED TO TAXI THE ACFT ACROSS THE GRASS TO THE HANGAR JUST TO THE S OF THE AREA WE WERE IN. I HAD FELT THAT I SHOULD NOT FLY SINCE WE DID NOT DO A RUNUP AND WERE TESTING A PROB AT THE VERY PWR SETTINGS WE WERE GOING TO OPERATE AT. EVEN THOUGH WE DID NOT DO THE RUNUP, WE SHOULD HAVE PLANNED FOR A GAR IN THE EVENT OF INSUFFICIENT RWY/POOR REACTION TIME/ETC. WE HAD ONLY SPOKEN OF STOPPING AND I WAS UNPREPARED FOR THE EVENT THAT DID OCCUR. THE ACFT IS AN EXPERIMENTAL AND I AM FULLY AWARE THAT MANY HIGH SPD TAXI TESTS END UP IN PROBS DUE TO THE ABOVE SCENARIO BUT I STILL 'WANTED' TO STAY ON THE RWY. BETTER PLANNING AND BRIEFING NEEDED. STUPID MISTAKE THAT WILL NOT BE MADE AGAIN.
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.