Narrative:

3 gentlemen wanted to take a sight-seeing flight around the spokane area. We talked about where they wanted to go and what they wanted to see. I revised their plans slightly so that I wouldn't break the 25 NM radius we were allowed. I brought them to the airplane while I preflted. I did a thorough preflight, interior and exterior. This included lowering the flaps to inspect them. The gentlemen claimed I took off with flaps -- this is false. In order to comfortably get into the left seat of the aircraft, one must lower the flaps. I followed every item on the checklist and I did not notice any problems. We taxied to runway 21L (the short runway) where I did a run-up. I did not notice any problems on the run-up. We were cleared for takeoff. I put in full throttle and we began our takeoff roll. We lifted off at the appropriate airspeed. We could not have been more than 50 ft off the ground when the engine began to sputter. We began to lose lift and it became apparent to me that I would have to abort the takeoff. I knew we did not have enough runway, so I put it down on the taxiway. We rolled out onto the grass. I turned around and taxied back onto the taxiway and called felts tower and told them I had aborted my takeoff and I needed to taxi back. When the guys asked why that happened, I said it was because we were too heavy. Unfortunately, I stated it the wrong way. We were at gross weight and at gross weight we need full power. We lost power when the engine began to sputter and therefore we could not produce enough lift. We came back and they complimented me on what a great job I did in handling the situation. They even called back about 30 mins later and tried to reschedule with me. However, that evening after a couple of drinks they decided that we weren't 'sorry enough' for what had happened. I do not know why the engine sputtered. It could have been carburetor ice, it could have just been the engine, I don't know. Under the circumstances, I feel I did everything right. I reacted to the situation and put the airplane down safely. No one was hurt and there wasn't even a scratch on the plane. If I'm ever in the situation again, I hope I react in exactly the same manner.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ATX PLT FLYING A SIGHT SEEING FLT IN AN SMA DECIDES TO LAND IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF WHEN THE ENG 'SPUTTERS' ABOUT 50 FT AGL.

Narrative: 3 GENTLEMEN WANTED TO TAKE A SIGHT-SEEING FLT AROUND THE SPOKANE AREA. WE TALKED ABOUT WHERE THEY WANTED TO GO AND WHAT THEY WANTED TO SEE. I REVISED THEIR PLANS SLIGHTLY SO THAT I WOULDN'T BREAK THE 25 NM RADIUS WE WERE ALLOWED. I BROUGHT THEM TO THE AIRPLANE WHILE I PREFLTED. I DID A THOROUGH PREFLT, INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR. THIS INCLUDED LOWERING THE FLAPS TO INSPECT THEM. THE GENTLEMEN CLAIMED I TOOK OFF WITH FLAPS -- THIS IS FALSE. IN ORDER TO COMFORTABLY GET INTO THE L SEAT OF THE ACFT, ONE MUST LOWER THE FLAPS. I FOLLOWED EVERY ITEM ON THE CHKLIST AND I DID NOT NOTICE ANY PROBS. WE TAXIED TO RWY 21L (THE SHORT RWY) WHERE I DID A RUN-UP. I DID NOT NOTICE ANY PROBS ON THE RUN-UP. WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF. I PUT IN FULL THROTTLE AND WE BEGAN OUR TKOF ROLL. WE LIFTED OFF AT THE APPROPRIATE AIRSPD. WE COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE THAN 50 FT OFF THE GND WHEN THE ENG BEGAN TO SPUTTER. WE BEGAN TO LOSE LIFT AND IT BECAME APPARENT TO ME THAT I WOULD HAVE TO ABORT THE TKOF. I KNEW WE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH RWY, SO I PUT IT DOWN ON THE TXWY. WE ROLLED OUT ONTO THE GRASS. I TURNED AROUND AND TAXIED BACK ONTO THE TXWY AND CALLED FELTS TWR AND TOLD THEM I HAD ABORTED MY TKOF AND I NEEDED TO TAXI BACK. WHEN THE GUYS ASKED WHY THAT HAPPENED, I SAID IT WAS BECAUSE WE WERE TOO HVY. UNFORTUNATELY, I STATED IT THE WRONG WAY. WE WERE AT GROSS WT AND AT GROSS WT WE NEED FULL PWR. WE LOST PWR WHEN THE ENG BEGAN TO SPUTTER AND THEREFORE WE COULD NOT PRODUCE ENOUGH LIFT. WE CAME BACK AND THEY COMPLIMENTED ME ON WHAT A GREAT JOB I DID IN HANDLING THE SIT. THEY EVEN CALLED BACK ABOUT 30 MINS LATER AND TRIED TO RESCHEDULE WITH ME. HOWEVER, THAT EVENING AFTER A COUPLE OF DRINKS THEY DECIDED THAT WE WEREN'T 'SORRY ENOUGH' FOR WHAT HAD HAPPENED. I DO NOT KNOW WHY THE ENG SPUTTERED. IT COULD HAVE BEEN CARB ICE, IT COULD HAVE JUST BEEN THE ENG, I DON'T KNOW. UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES, I FEEL I DID EVERYTHING RIGHT. I REACTED TO THE SIT AND PUT THE AIRPLANE DOWN SAFELY. NO ONE WAS HURT AND THERE WASN'T EVEN A SCRATCH ON THE PLANE. IF I'M EVER IN THE SIT AGAIN, I HOPE I REACT IN EXACTLY THE SAME MANNER.

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.