PA28 pilot takes off with inoperable stall warning horn.

Attributes
ACN	563192
Time
Date	200210
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 38 flight time total : 118 flight time type : 36
ASRS Report	563192
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed as precaution none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

While on the ground, I was preflting the aircraft. I did not check the stall warning horn out of habit because many times, the other airplanes that had started their engines around me were too noisy for me to hear if the stall warning horn worked. While practicing stalls, I noticed that the stall warning horn was inoperable. Once I noticed the stall warning horn did not work, I started back toward the airport. Once I landed, I reported the problem to a mechanic for him to fix. I wasn't sure if taking off without a stall warning horn is allowed, so I looked in the far's. I found that 91.205 states that a stall warning horn is not required for VFR. I searched more and saw 91.213, which says that if an airplane does not have an MEL, everything in the plane must be operable. Through this process, I learned about MEL's and the required instruments according to the far's. I was never aware of the role that each individual aircraft's MEL in the poh played with regard to the far's. I have also learned through this process that next time I should wait for the aircraft next to me to leave so I can hear the stall warning horn before I take off.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PLT TAKES OFF WITH INOPERABLE STALL WARNING HORN.

Narrative: WHILE ON THE GND, I WAS PREFLTING THE ACFT. I DID NOT CHK THE STALL WARNING HORN OUT OF HABIT BECAUSE MANY TIMES, THE OTHER AIRPLANES THAT HAD STARTED THEIR ENGS AROUND ME WERE TOO NOISY FOR ME TO HEAR IF THE STALL WARNING HORN WORKED. WHILE PRACTICING STALLS, I NOTICED THAT THE STALL WARNING HORN WAS INOPERABLE. ONCE I NOTICED THE STALL WARNING HORN DID NOT WORK, I STARTED BACK TOWARD THE ARPT. ONCE I LANDED, I RPTED THE PROB TO A MECH FOR HIM TO FIX. I WASN'T SURE IF TAKING OFF WITHOUT A STALL WARNING HORN IS ALLOWED, SO I LOOKED IN THE FAR'S. I FOUND THAT 91.205 STATES THAT A STALL WARNING HORN IS NOT REQUIRED FOR VFR. I SEARCHED MORE AND SAW 91.213, WHICH SAYS THAT IF AN AIRPLANE DOES NOT HAVE AN MEL, EVERYTHING IN THE PLANE MUST BE OPERABLE. THROUGH THIS PROCESS, I LEARNED ABOUT MEL'S AND THE REQUIRED INSTS ACCORDING TO THE FAR'S. I WAS NEVER AWARE OF THE ROLE THAT EACH INDIVIDUAL ACFT'S MEL IN THE POH PLAYED WITH REGARD TO THE FAR'S. I HAVE ALSO LEARNED THROUGH THIS PROCESS THAT NEXT TIME I SHOULD WAIT FOR THE ACFT NEXT TO ME TO LEAVE SO I CAN HEAR THE STALL WARNING HORN BEFORE I TAKE OFF.

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.