 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
A C172 pilot failed to remove the aircraft's tow bar prior to flight. Subsequently the bar fell off upon landing at his destination.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 628572 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200408 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : gmu.airport |
| State Reference | SC |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zzz.artcc |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | ground : taxi landing : roll |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 500 |
| ASRS Report | 628572 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | ground encounters : fod ground encounters other non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
Upon completion of a flight, at landing I heard an unusual 'clank' sound from the nose tire area of the airplane. I thought it was strange, especially since it was a normal soft landing. The nose tire, strut, and steering seemed ok, so I taxied to the hangar. I checked the baggage area for the tow bar but it was missing. I realized then that I had to have left it attached to the nose tire when I refueled the airplane at the departure airport. Even though I used the checklist, which has tow bar removal listed, I failed to remember that I had it on the nose tire. I taxied, took off, flew for hours, and landed before it departed our airplane. I notified the tower ATC controller to check the runway for debris so no other aircraft would be damaged. A short time later I was given a mangled metal tow bar which was found on the runway. I will no longer leave a tow bar attached to our aircraft unless it is actively in use. If for any reason I need to leave the tow bar area (to fuel, load cargo, pay for gas, or hit the restroom), I now remove it! I now know how easy it is to forget it is still hooked up even when using a checklist. Additionally, this incident has once again instilled in me the importance of checklist discipline and how easy it can be to miss important details vital to safety of flight.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A C172 PLT FAILED TO REMOVE THE ACFT'S TOW BAR PRIOR TO FLT. SUBSEQUENTLY THE BAR FELL OFF UPON LNDG AT HIS DEST.
Narrative: UPON COMPLETION OF A FLT, AT LNDG I HEARD AN UNUSUAL 'CLANK' SOUND FROM THE NOSE TIRE AREA OF THE AIRPLANE. I THOUGHT IT WAS STRANGE, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT WAS A NORMAL SOFT LNDG. THE NOSE TIRE, STRUT, AND STEERING SEEMED OK, SO I TAXIED TO THE HANGAR. I CHKED THE BAGGAGE AREA FOR THE TOW BAR BUT IT WAS MISSING. I REALIZED THEN THAT I HAD TO HAVE LEFT IT ATTACHED TO THE NOSE TIRE WHEN I REFUELED THE AIRPLANE AT THE DEP ARPT. EVEN THOUGH I USED THE CHKLIST, WHICH HAS TOW BAR REMOVAL LISTED, I FAILED TO REMEMBER THAT I HAD IT ON THE NOSE TIRE. I TAXIED, TOOK OFF, FLEW FOR HRS, AND LANDED BEFORE IT DEPARTED OUR AIRPLANE. I NOTIFIED THE TWR ATC CTLR TO CHK THE RWY FOR DEBRIS SO NO OTHER ACFT WOULD BE DAMAGED. A SHORT TIME LATER I WAS GIVEN A MANGLED METAL TOW BAR WHICH WAS FOUND ON THE RWY. I WILL NO LONGER LEAVE A TOW BAR ATTACHED TO OUR ACFT UNLESS IT IS ACTIVELY IN USE. IF FOR ANY REASON I NEED TO LEAVE THE TOW BAR AREA (TO FUEL, LOAD CARGO, PAY FOR GAS, OR HIT THE RESTROOM), I NOW REMOVE IT! I NOW KNOW HOW EASY IT IS TO FORGET IT IS STILL HOOKED UP EVEN WHEN USING A CHKLIST. ADDITIONALLY, THIS INCIDENT HAS ONCE AGAIN INSTILLED IN ME THE IMPORTANCE OF CHKLIST DISCIPLINE AND HOW EASY IT CAN BE TO MISS IMPORTANT DETAILS VITAL TO SAFETY OF 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.