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A commercial rated pilot flying a PA31 out of agc experienced what he thought was an engine failure just after rotation and aborted the takeoff.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 428945 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199902 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : agc.airport |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | agl single value : 15 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : agc.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | PA-31 Navajo Chieftan/Mojave/Navajo T1020 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 135 |
| Flight Phase | ground other : rotation |
| Route In Use | departure sid : ns |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air taxi |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 1600 flight time type : 600 |
| ASRS Report | 428945 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Qualification | controller : non radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | ground encounters other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : rejected takeoff |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
During the first takeoff of the evening, just after rotation, the aircraft rolled and yawed to the left. The left engine also sounded as if it was failing. The gear was still down, so I immediately closed both throttles and landed on the remaining runway uneventfully. After pulling off the runway, I noticed both engines were running and the engine gauges were indicating normal. I performed another runup, and everything appeared fine. I taxied back to the ramp and did a walkaround. During the walkaround, I sumped the tanks and found a little water. I thought this was unusual because I sumped all the tanks during my preflight inspection and removed all the water present. The PA31 has bladder tanks, which may be susceptible to uneven bottoms. I suspect that water collected in one of these depressions and was unable to reach the fuel drains, until being disturbed, such as on takeoff or climb out. A good idea may be to rock the wings before taking a fuel sample to get the water out of these low areas in the tanks.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A COMMERCIAL RATED PLT FLYING A PA31 OUT OF AGC EXPERIENCED WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS AN ENG FAILURE JUST AFTER ROTATION AND ABORTED THE TKOF.
Narrative: DURING THE FIRST TKOF OF THE EVENING, JUST AFTER ROTATION, THE ACFT ROLLED AND YAWED TO THE L. THE L ENG ALSO SOUNDED AS IF IT WAS FAILING. THE GEAR WAS STILL DOWN, SO I IMMEDIATELY CLOSED BOTH THROTTLES AND LANDED ON THE REMAINING RWY UNEVENTFULLY. AFTER PULLING OFF THE RWY, I NOTICED BOTH ENGS WERE RUNNING AND THE ENG GAUGES WERE INDICATING NORMAL. I PERFORMED ANOTHER RUNUP, AND EVERYTHING APPEARED FINE. I TAXIED BACK TO THE RAMP AND DID A WALKAROUND. DURING THE WALKAROUND, I SUMPED THE TANKS AND FOUND A LITTLE WATER. I THOUGHT THIS WAS UNUSUAL BECAUSE I SUMPED ALL THE TANKS DURING MY PREFLT INSPECTION AND REMOVED ALL THE WATER PRESENT. THE PA31 HAS BLADDER TANKS, WHICH MAY BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO UNEVEN BOTTOMS. I SUSPECT THAT WATER COLLECTED IN ONE OF THESE DEPRESSIONS AND WAS UNABLE TO REACH THE FUEL DRAINS, UNTIL BEING DISTURBED, SUCH AS ON TKOF OR CLBOUT. A GOOD IDEA MAY BE TO ROCK THE WINGS BEFORE TAKING A FUEL SAMPLE TO GET THE WATER OUT OF THESE LOW AREAS IN THE TANKS.
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.