A C172 pilot had a bee ingested through air vent during takeoff.

Attributes
ACN	436862
Time
Date	199905
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ral.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ral.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 23 flight time total : 247 flight time type : 110
ASRS Report	436862
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters : animal
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

This was my first IFR flight in IMC since earning my instrument rating. The solo flight originated from sna and was uneventful to a landing at riverside, ca, on runway 9. After landing, I asked for a tower en route clearance back to sna. After tower cleared me for takeoff, I taxied onto runway 9. During the r-hand turn, to align with the centerline, I noticed a honeybee flying under the right wing. At about 75% through my takeoff roll, I heard 2 'pops' in the vicinity of the left side fresh air vent. Then a honeybee entered the cockpit shooting out of the air vent, down between my legs and hitting the floor. Fortunately the bee had been killed trying to make the 90 degree turns through the air vent. I was prepared to abort for anything (engine failure, etc) but I continued my takeoff and flight. I should have aborted the takeoff and made sure the bee was either dead or out of the airplane. The afterthought of flying in IMC with a live bee has taught me to expand my definition of 'anything.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 PLT HAD A BEE INGESTED THROUGH AIR VENT DURING TKOF.

Narrative: THIS WAS MY FIRST IFR FLT IN IMC SINCE EARNING MY INST RATING. THE SOLO FLT ORIGINATED FROM SNA AND WAS UNEVENTFUL TO A LNDG AT RIVERSIDE, CA, ON RWY 9. AFTER LNDG, I ASKED FOR A TWR ENRTE CLRNC BACK TO SNA. AFTER TWR CLRED ME FOR TKOF, I TAXIED ONTO RWY 9. DURING THE R-HAND TURN, TO ALIGN WITH THE CTRLINE, I NOTICED A HONEYBEE FLYING UNDER THE R WING. AT ABOUT 75% THROUGH MY TKOF ROLL, I HEARD 2 'POPS' IN THE VICINITY OF THE L SIDE FRESH AIR VENT. THEN A HONEYBEE ENTERED THE COCKPIT SHOOTING OUT OF THE AIR VENT, DOWN BTWN MY LEGS AND HITTING THE FLOOR. FORTUNATELY THE BEE HAD BEEN KILLED TRYING TO MAKE THE 90 DEG TURNS THROUGH THE AIR VENT. I WAS PREPARED TO ABORT FOR ANYTHING (ENG FAILURE, ETC) BUT I CONTINUED MY TKOF AND FLT. I SHOULD HAVE ABORTED THE TKOF AND MADE SURE THE BEE WAS EITHER DEAD OR OUT OF THE AIRPLANE. THE AFTERTHOUGHT OF FLYING IN IMC WITH A LIVE BEE HAS TAUGHT ME TO EXPAND MY DEFINITION OF 'ANYTHING.'

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.