Instructor pilot, accompanied by a trainee, declared an emergency and returned to land after losing ...

Attributes
ACN	498520
Time
Date	200101
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dab.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 300 msl bound upper : 400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dab.tower
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 5 flight time total : 76 flight time type : 76
ASRS Report	498520
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

My instructor and I completed the run-up of the aircraft. The magnetos made a soft, strange sound. We again cycled through the magnetos. This time it sounded normal. Both times the RPM drop was within normal range. Next, we received clearance for takeoff. We taxied onto the runway and proceeded to take off. I began to rotate at 55 KTS and the plane didn't seem to want to lift off. I gained more speed and the plane lifted off. I began my climb and the plane felt sluggish. I checked my airspeed and noticed it was falling. My instructor asked if I had full power, and I did. She took over the controls and called the tower with an emergency. We were cleared to land. I ran through the checks and assisted her with the emergency landing. With review, we found our fuel flow had dropped to the bottom of the green arc. It was around 3-5 gph. The human performance was very educated and professional. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that he had not learned what mechanics found wrong with the engine, but they expected it may have been due to a clogged fuel line.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INSTRUCTOR PLT, ACCOMPANIED BY A TRAINEE, DECLARED AN EMER AND RETURNED TO LAND AFTER LOSING PWR.

Narrative: MY INSTRUCTOR AND I COMPLETED THE RUN-UP OF THE ACFT. THE MAGNETOS MADE A SOFT, STRANGE SOUND. WE AGAIN CYCLED THROUGH THE MAGNETOS. THIS TIME IT SOUNDED NORMAL. BOTH TIMES THE RPM DROP WAS WITHIN NORMAL RANGE. NEXT, WE RECEIVED CLRNC FOR TKOF. WE TAXIED ONTO THE RWY AND PROCEEDED TO TAKE OFF. I BEGAN TO ROTATE AT 55 KTS AND THE PLANE DIDN'T SEEM TO WANT TO LIFT OFF. I GAINED MORE SPD AND THE PLANE LIFTED OFF. I BEGAN MY CLB AND THE PLANE FELT SLUGGISH. I CHKED MY AIRSPD AND NOTICED IT WAS FALLING. MY INSTRUCTOR ASKED IF I HAD FULL PWR, AND I DID. SHE TOOK OVER THE CTLS AND CALLED THE TWR WITH AN EMER. WE WERE CLRED TO LAND. I RAN THROUGH THE CHKS AND ASSISTED HER WITH THE EMER LNDG. WITH REVIEW, WE FOUND OUR FUEL FLOW HAD DROPPED TO THE BOTTOM OF THE GREEN ARC. IT WAS AROUND 3-5 GPH. THE HUMAN PERFORMANCE WAS VERY EDUCATED AND PROFESSIONAL. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT HE HAD NOT LEARNED WHAT MECHS FOUND WRONG WITH THE ENG, BUT THEY EXPECTED IT MAY HAVE BEEN DUE TO A CLOGGED FUEL LINE.

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.

Instructor pilot, accompanied by a trainee, declared an emergency and returned to land after losing power.