Large cargo flight crew aborts its takeoff when no airspeed noted after engines trimmed for takeoff ...

Attributes
ACN	580534
Time
Date	200304
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fat.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 125 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 125
ASRS Report	580534
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : gnd 5
Resolutory Action	flight crew : rejected takeoff
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Company Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

During the takeoff roll, my first officer did not make the normal 80 KT callout. At about when I thought she should, I questioned her and looked down to discern no airspeed indication, so I rejected the takeoff and notified the tower, at which time they said my company had called and said the pitot tube covers were still on the aircraft. During taxi in, the tower looked with binoculars but could not see any covers. After block in, the afternoon mechanic found all 4 of the wrong covers on the plane. The correct covers should have had red streamers saying 'remove before flight.' he spotted them during taxi out. The morning mechanic had put these other covers on and nobody could see them, as they were quite high up on the aircraft. They were also very small and beige colored, and just blended in. At this airport, my company uses contract maintenance that is not trained by us like our company mechanics are and many different people are used. A logbook write-up is required by our mechanics when pitot tube covers are put on or taken off. I have been to this airport many times and was never aware that covers were ever installed. I have written a strong letter to my company to try to get our own maintenance here. They are doing a thorough investigation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LARGE CARGO FLT CREW ABORTS ITS TKOF WHEN NO AIRSPD NOTED AFTER ENGS TRIMMED FOR TKOF AT FAT, CA.

Narrative: DURING THE TKOF ROLL, MY FO DID NOT MAKE THE NORMAL 80 KT CALLOUT. AT ABOUT WHEN I THOUGHT SHE SHOULD, I QUESTIONED HER AND LOOKED DOWN TO DISCERN NO AIRSPD INDICATION, SO I REJECTED THE TKOF AND NOTIFIED THE TWR, AT WHICH TIME THEY SAID MY COMPANY HAD CALLED AND SAID THE PITOT TUBE COVERS WERE STILL ON THE ACFT. DURING TAXI IN, THE TWR LOOKED WITH BINOCULARS BUT COULD NOT SEE ANY COVERS. AFTER BLOCK IN, THE AFTERNOON MECH FOUND ALL 4 OF THE WRONG COVERS ON THE PLANE. THE CORRECT COVERS SHOULD HAVE HAD RED STREAMERS SAYING 'REMOVE BEFORE FLT.' HE SPOTTED THEM DURING TAXI OUT. THE MORNING MECH HAD PUT THESE OTHER COVERS ON AND NOBODY COULD SEE THEM, AS THEY WERE QUITE HIGH UP ON THE ACFT. THEY WERE ALSO VERY SMALL AND BEIGE COLORED, AND JUST BLENDED IN. AT THIS ARPT, MY COMPANY USES CONTRACT MAINT THAT IS NOT TRAINED BY US LIKE OUR COMPANY MECHS ARE AND MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE ARE USED. A LOGBOOK WRITE-UP IS REQUIRED BY OUR MECHS WHEN PITOT TUBE COVERS ARE PUT ON OR TAKEN OFF. I HAVE BEEN TO THIS ARPT MANY TIMES AND WAS NEVER AWARE THAT COVERS WERE EVER INSTALLED. I HAVE WRITTEN A STRONG LETTER TO MY COMPANY TO TRY TO GET OUR OWN MAINT HERE. THEY ARE DOING A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION.

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.

Large cargo flight crew aborts its takeoff when no airspeed noted after engines trimmed for takeoff at fat, ca.