Narrative:

The pilot was performing touch and goes in a tailwheel aircraft rented with a flight instructor. The pilot had not performed touch and goes in tailwheel aircraft in approximately 2 yrs. During a climb out on the 2ND or 3RD touch and go at (200 ft AGL) the pilot advised the instructor that the engine was producing only 1800 RPM (fixed pitch propeller) but oil pressure and temperature were normal. A moment later the tower advised that the aircraft was trailing black smoke. The instructor advised he had control and performed a 180 degree turn to runway 19. The instructor advised the tower of this action and the tower controller advised another aircraft in the pattern set up for runway 1. The instructor touched down the aircraft moments later. The instructor contacted the tower by telephone after the aircraft was turned in. The instructor advised that the tower was not asking for any information or reports. That afternoon a mechanic advised that the fuel injected engine had a defective fuel servo unit. Judgements/decisions: the engine ran smoothly when producing smoke. The aircraft engine ran for 5 mins after landing. Additionally, the mechanic ran the engine for 5 mins at high power during diagnosing the problem. The pilot, if flying solo, would have elected to stay airborne another 2-3 mins and fly the pattern for runway 1. Based on the status of the problem, this would have worked. However, not having complete information at the time of the problem the flight instructor made a better decision by electing an immediate 180 degree turn back to the runway. Experience and training does allow pilots to make better decisions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CH10 INSTRUCTOR PLT WITH TRAINEE RETURNS TO LAND AFTER ENCOUNTERING ENG PROB IN GEU AIRSPACE.

Narrative: THE PLT WAS PERFORMING TOUCH AND GOES IN A TAILWHEEL ACFT RENTED WITH A FLT INSTRUCTOR. THE PLT HAD NOT PERFORMED TOUCH AND GOES IN TAILWHEEL ACFT IN APPROX 2 YRS. DURING A CLBOUT ON THE 2ND OR 3RD TOUCH AND GO AT (200 FT AGL) THE PLT ADVISED THE INSTRUCTOR THAT THE ENG WAS PRODUCING ONLY 1800 RPM (FIXED PITCH PROP) BUT OIL PRESSURE AND TEMP WERE NORMAL. A MOMENT LATER THE TWR ADVISED THAT THE ACFT WAS TRAILING BLACK SMOKE. THE INSTRUCTOR ADVISED HE HAD CTL AND PERFORMED A 180 DEG TURN TO RWY 19. THE INSTRUCTOR ADVISED THE TWR OF THIS ACTION AND THE TWR CTLR ADVISED ANOTHER ACFT IN THE PATTERN SET UP FOR RWY 1. THE INSTRUCTOR TOUCHED DOWN THE ACFT MOMENTS LATER. THE INSTRUCTOR CONTACTED THE TWR BY TELEPHONE AFTER THE ACFT WAS TURNED IN. THE INSTRUCTOR ADVISED THAT THE TWR WAS NOT ASKING FOR ANY INFO OR RPTS. THAT AFTERNOON A MECH ADVISED THAT THE FUEL INJECTED ENG HAD A DEFECTIVE FUEL SERVO UNIT. JUDGEMENTS/DECISIONS: THE ENG RAN SMOOTHLY WHEN PRODUCING SMOKE. THE ACFT ENG RAN FOR 5 MINS AFTER LNDG. ADDITIONALLY, THE MECH RAN THE ENG FOR 5 MINS AT HIGH PWR DURING DIAGNOSING THE PROB. THE PLT, IF FLYING SOLO, WOULD HAVE ELECTED TO STAY AIRBORNE ANOTHER 2-3 MINS AND FLY THE PATTERN FOR RWY 1. BASED ON THE STATUS OF THE PROB, THIS WOULD HAVE WORKED. HOWEVER, NOT HAVING COMPLETE INFO AT THE TIME OF THE PROB THE FLT INSTRUCTOR MADE A BETTER DECISION BY ELECTING AN IMMEDIATE 180 DEG TURN BACK TO THE RWY. EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING DOES ALLOW PLTS TO MAKE BETTER DECISIONS.

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.