Emergency landing in a return land when a C152 loses power after takeoff at 400 ft while being test ...

Attributes
ACN	588881
Time
Date	200307
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cps.airport
State Reference	MO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : cps.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 152
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial landing : roll
Route In Use	departure : vfr
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 1400 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	588881
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	maintenance : technician observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

C152 had received a new engine prior to it being sold. Before it could be delivered, it needed to be test flown. I was the only flight available at the time so I agreed to be the test pilot and the ferry pilot for the new owner. I asked the mechanic if the logbooks needed to be filled out prior to the test flight. He indicated that they would be done after the test flight so that any abnormalities could be fixed/adjustments made. On the test flight all went normally until 400 ft into the climb. The engine lost partial power (only running at 1000-1500 RPM) and lost oil pressure. I declared an emergency and landed on runway 30R (after taking off runway 12R). The landing was executed to checklist -- no erratic movements were required. The plane taxied in on its own power. The plane was trailing smoke from the time the engine lost power to shutdown on the ramp (as reported by tower). The reason for this report is not the engine malfunction, but my flying the aircraft before logbook entries were made or it was legally returned to service. I also have not made an entry for the test flight. Chain of events: 1) plane needed test flight. 2) mechanic said signoff not necessary before test flight. 3) my failure to determine for myself if signoff was necessary. 4) my flying an unairworthy airplane. After the engine failure, I asked a designated examiner about the logbook requirements for a maintenance test flight. He told me that I did need a return to service statement as to the work performed. Having flown the plane in an unairworthy condition, I thought this report form to be a necessity. I am still unsure about my responsibility concerning the test flight and my own documentation in the logs now that the plane has been test flown and failed the test. I am unsure if the mechanic will allow me to make an entry now. I think he does not want any documentation of it. He was also on the test flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMER LNDG IN A RETURN LAND WHEN A C152 LOSES PWR AFTER TKOF AT 400 FT WHILE BEING TEST FLOWN BY A CFI WHO WAS TALKED INTO TAKING THE OVERHAULED ACFT ON A TEST FLT WITHOUT A RETURN TO SVC NOTATION IN THE LOGBOOK AT CPS, MO.

Narrative: C152 HAD RECEIVED A NEW ENG PRIOR TO IT BEING SOLD. BEFORE IT COULD BE DELIVERED, IT NEEDED TO BE TEST FLOWN. I WAS THE ONLY FLT AVAILABLE AT THE TIME SO I AGREED TO BE THE TEST PLT AND THE FERRY PLT FOR THE NEW OWNER. I ASKED THE MECH IF THE LOGBOOKS NEEDED TO BE FILLED OUT PRIOR TO THE TEST FLT. HE INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD BE DONE AFTER THE TEST FLT SO THAT ANY ABNORMALITIES COULD BE FIXED/ADJUSTMENTS MADE. ON THE TEST FLT ALL WENT NORMALLY UNTIL 400 FT INTO THE CLB. THE ENG LOST PARTIAL PWR (ONLY RUNNING AT 1000-1500 RPM) AND LOST OIL PRESSURE. I DECLARED AN EMER AND LANDED ON RWY 30R (AFTER TAKING OFF RWY 12R). THE LNDG WAS EXECUTED TO CHKLIST -- NO ERRATIC MOVEMENTS WERE REQUIRED. THE PLANE TAXIED IN ON ITS OWN PWR. THE PLANE WAS TRAILING SMOKE FROM THE TIME THE ENG LOST PWR TO SHUTDOWN ON THE RAMP (AS RPTED BY TWR). THE REASON FOR THIS RPT IS NOT THE ENG MALFUNCTION, BUT MY FLYING THE ACFT BEFORE LOGBOOK ENTRIES WERE MADE OR IT WAS LEGALLY RETURNED TO SVC. I ALSO HAVE NOT MADE AN ENTRY FOR THE TEST FLT. CHAIN OF EVENTS: 1) PLANE NEEDED TEST FLT. 2) MECH SAID SIGNOFF NOT NECESSARY BEFORE TEST FLT. 3) MY FAILURE TO DETERMINE FOR MYSELF IF SIGNOFF WAS NECESSARY. 4) MY FLYING AN UNAIRWORTHY AIRPLANE. AFTER THE ENG FAILURE, I ASKED A DESIGNATED EXAMINER ABOUT THE LOGBOOK REQUIREMENTS FOR A MAINT TEST FLT. HE TOLD ME THAT I DID NEED A RETURN TO SVC STATEMENT AS TO THE WORK PERFORMED. HAVING FLOWN THE PLANE IN AN UNAIRWORTHY CONDITION, I THOUGHT THIS RPT FORM TO BE A NECESSITY. I AM STILL UNSURE ABOUT MY RESPONSIBILITY CONCERNING THE TEST FLT AND MY OWN DOCUMENTATION IN THE LOGS NOW THAT THE PLANE HAS BEEN TEST FLOWN AND FAILED THE TEST. I AM UNSURE IF THE MECH WILL ALLOW ME TO MAKE AN ENTRY NOW. I THINK HE DOES NOT WANT ANY DOCUMENTATION OF IT. HE WAS ALSO ON THE TEST FLT.

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.

Emergency landing in a return land when a C152 loses power after takeoff at 400 ft while being test flown by a CFI who was talked into taking the overhauled aircraft on a test flight without a return to service notation in the logbook at cps, mo.