A helicopter departs with its tow bar still attached.

Attributes
ACN	531838
Time
Date	200112
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ttn.airport
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl single value : 200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ttn.tower
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	S-76/S-76 Mark II
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	531838
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	531836
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Aircraft was departing on ferry flight to pick up passenger at company headquarters. Taxied about 50 ft to takeoff position on our ramp and was cleared to take off. On initial climb of 200 ft, tower called to say we had a bar hanging from nosewheel. We continued turn back to ramp within airport boundary and hovered while our ground personnel positioned it for landing and then unhooked bar. Fortunately, the gear was not retracted or damage may have resulted. The bar is rather short in length and a very dark blue color which blended with hangar shadow 30 mins prior to sunset. We have applied reflective tape and raised the handle of the bar so it is visible to cockpit. A daily sheet has also been created to check off appropriate items prior to each flight. We instituted a procedure to assure there will always be a mechanic at the aircraft during start and prior to liftoff. No damage was incurred and later flight continued.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HELI DEPARTS WITH ITS TOW BAR STILL ATTACHED.

Narrative: ACFT WAS DEPARTING ON FERRY FLT TO PICK UP PAX AT COMPANY HEADQUARTERS. TAXIED ABOUT 50 FT TO TKOF POS ON OUR RAMP AND WAS CLRED TO TAKE OFF. ON INITIAL CLB OF 200 FT, TWR CALLED TO SAY WE HAD A BAR HANGING FROM NOSEWHEEL. WE CONTINUED TURN BACK TO RAMP WITHIN ARPT BOUNDARY AND HOVERED WHILE OUR GND PERSONNEL POSITIONED IT FOR LNDG AND THEN UNHOOKED BAR. FORTUNATELY, THE GEAR WAS NOT RETRACTED OR DAMAGE MAY HAVE RESULTED. THE BAR IS RATHER SHORT IN LENGTH AND A VERY DARK BLUE COLOR WHICH BLENDED WITH HANGAR SHADOW 30 MINS PRIOR TO SUNSET. WE HAVE APPLIED REFLECTIVE TAPE AND RAISED THE HANDLE OF THE BAR SO IT IS VISIBLE TO COCKPIT. A DAILY SHEET HAS ALSO BEEN CREATED TO CHK OFF APPROPRIATE ITEMS PRIOR TO EACH FLT. WE INSTITUTED A PROC TO ASSURE THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A MECH AT THE ACFT DURING START AND PRIOR TO LIFTOFF. NO DAMAGE WAS INCURRED AND LATER FLT CONTINUED.

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.