Near forced landing in a C172RG by CFI when the engine loses power and surges after takeoff from see...

Attributes
ACN	622997
Time
Date	200407
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : see.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 150 agl bound upper : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : see.tower
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 1115 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	622997
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : trainee
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Company Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

A full runway and diagnostic indications checked prior to calling for takeoff clearance. After takeoff on runway 27R, during VMC, the engine lost power with the aircraft over the runway at approximately 150 ft AGL. An appropriate field was selected for emergency landing and the engine failure checklist executed from memory. Landing gear was lowered in preparation for descent and landing. The engine surged to life and the next emergency field was selected for landing. Manipulation of the throttle was partly effective in maintaining some power on the engine while it continued to surge. An emergency was declared by the PIC at the first loss of power. Tower cleared the aircraft for return to the airport, any runway. PIC accepted the suggestion of emergency equipment being dispatched. The engine continued to provide enough power to maintain altitude while continuing in right traffic for runway 17. Other emergency fields were overflown without loss of altitude. The aircraft made a crosswind landing on runway 17. Tower called off the emergency equipment response. The aircraft was returned to parking on its own power. The emergency was explained to ground control. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that the carburetor was at fault. The flight school replaced the faulty one with a complete new kit and returned the aircraft to the owner.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NEAR FORCED LNDG IN A C172RG BY CFI WHEN THE ENG LOSES PWR AND SURGES AFTER TKOF FROM SEE.

Narrative: A FULL RWY AND DIAGNOSTIC INDICATIONS CHKED PRIOR TO CALLING FOR TKOF CLRNC. AFTER TKOF ON RWY 27R, DURING VMC, THE ENG LOST PWR WITH THE ACFT OVER THE RWY AT APPROX 150 FT AGL. AN APPROPRIATE FIELD WAS SELECTED FOR EMER LNDG AND THE ENG FAILURE CHKLIST EXECUTED FROM MEMORY. LNDG GEAR WAS LOWERED IN PREPARATION FOR DSCNT AND LNDG. THE ENG SURGED TO LIFE AND THE NEXT EMER FIELD WAS SELECTED FOR LNDG. MANIPULATION OF THE THROTTLE WAS PARTLY EFFECTIVE IN MAINTAINING SOME PWR ON THE ENG WHILE IT CONTINUED TO SURGE. AN EMER WAS DECLARED BY THE PIC AT THE FIRST LOSS OF PWR. TWR CLRED THE ACFT FOR RETURN TO THE ARPT, ANY RWY. PIC ACCEPTED THE SUGGESTION OF EMER EQUIP BEING DISPATCHED. THE ENG CONTINUED TO PROVIDE ENOUGH PWR TO MAINTAIN ALT WHILE CONTINUING IN R TFC FOR RWY 17. OTHER EMER FIELDS WERE OVERFLOWN WITHOUT LOSS OF ALT. THE ACFT MADE A XWIND LNDG ON RWY 17. TWR CALLED OFF THE EMER EQUIP RESPONSE. THE ACFT WAS RETURNED TO PARKING ON ITS OWN PWR. THE EMER WAS EXPLAINED TO GND CTL. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE CARB WAS AT FAULT. THE FLT SCHOOL REPLACED THE FAULTY ONE WITH A COMPLETE NEW KIT AND RETURNED THE ACFT TO THE OWNER.

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.