An small aircraft attempted a takeoff with full nose down trim.

Attributes
ACN	317043
Time
Date	199509
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tmb
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	M-20 K (231)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 1700 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	317043
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical conflict : ground critical other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I started takeoff roll and plane wouldn't rotate. I aborted before lift-off, but plane started to porpoise and front gear collapsed and propeller struck ground. I don't know what to do to prevent. I had carefully preflted. After I get mechanic's report, maybe I'll know. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter still does not know why he had nose down trim for takeoff. He was flying a mooney 231. The trim indicator on the mooney is next to the flap position indicator and they are very similar in form. He may have looked at the flap indicator and thought that it was the trim indicator. The trim may have been driven full forward when he was checking the autoplt on the ground, or it may have been put forward by a mechanic that had worked on the aircraft. The aircraft was loaded properly. The reporter will consider passing this information on to mooney. The reporter insists that he uses a checklist at all times, but will be more careful in the future. Aircraft damage was limited to the propeller and landing gear doors. The aircraft has electrically driven trim system.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA ATTEMPTED A TKOF WITH FULL NOSE DOWN TRIM.

Narrative: I STARTED TKOF ROLL AND PLANE WOULDN'T ROTATE. I ABORTED BEFORE LIFT-OFF, BUT PLANE STARTED TO PORPOISE AND FRONT GEAR COLLAPSED AND PROP STRUCK GND. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO TO PREVENT. I HAD CAREFULLY PREFLTED. AFTER I GET MECH'S RPT, MAYBE I'LL KNOW. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STILL DOES NOT KNOW WHY HE HAD NOSE DOWN TRIM FOR TKOF. HE WAS FLYING A MOONEY 231. THE TRIM INDICATOR ON THE MOONEY IS NEXT TO THE FLAP POS INDICATOR AND THEY ARE VERY SIMILAR IN FORM. HE MAY HAVE LOOKED AT THE FLAP INDICATOR AND THOUGHT THAT IT WAS THE TRIM INDICATOR. THE TRIM MAY HAVE BEEN DRIVEN FULL FORWARD WHEN HE WAS CHKING THE AUTOPLT ON THE GND, OR IT MAY HAVE BEEN PUT FORWARD BY A MECH THAT HAD WORKED ON THE ACFT. THE ACFT WAS LOADED PROPERLY. THE RPTR WILL CONSIDER PASSING THIS INFO ON TO MOONEY. THE RPTR INSISTS THAT HE USES A CHKLIST AT ALL TIMES, BUT WILL BE MORE CAREFUL IN THE FUTURE. ACFT DAMAGE WAS LIMITED TO THE PROP AND LNDG GEAR DOORS. THE ACFT HAS ELECTRICALLY DRIVEN TRIM SYS.

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.