PA28-101 pilot return land after discovering no airspeed indication. Pilot finds pitot tube blocked ...

Attributes
ACN	658743
Time
Date	200505
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 900
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff ground : maintenance
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 425 flight time type : 60
ASRS Report	658743
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Environmental Factor Maintenance Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Archer III was washed 2 days earlier and had some water in tanks. I was so intent on the water that I missed the band-aid (small round size) -- almost the same color as the bronze pitot tube) that was put on to keep the water out. On rollout; I noticed no airspeed and before I could abort; I was airborne. Told ATC I needed to return due to no airspeed and they cleared me to land any runway; stayed VFR and did a normal left pattern and landed fine. ATC rolled 1 fire truck (pick-up) to where I stopped. A more thorough preflight should have been done -- especially right after a wash job. Whoever washed it should use something other than small; almost invisible band-aids to cover static ports; etc. I really don't know if I would have caught it; as it did blend with the bronze pitot tube.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28-101 PLT RETURN LAND AFTER DISCOVERING NO AIRSPD INDICATION. PLT FINDS PITOT TUBE BLOCKED BY A BAND-AID.

Narrative: ARCHER III WAS WASHED 2 DAYS EARLIER AND HAD SOME WATER IN TANKS. I WAS SO INTENT ON THE WATER THAT I MISSED THE BAND-AID (SMALL ROUND SIZE) -- ALMOST THE SAME COLOR AS THE BRONZE PITOT TUBE) THAT WAS PUT ON TO KEEP THE WATER OUT. ON ROLLOUT; I NOTICED NO AIRSPD AND BEFORE I COULD ABORT; I WAS AIRBORNE. TOLD ATC I NEEDED TO RETURN DUE TO NO AIRSPD AND THEY CLRED ME TO LAND ANY RWY; STAYED VFR AND DID A NORMAL L PATTERN AND LANDED FINE. ATC ROLLED 1 FIRE TRUCK (PICK-UP) TO WHERE I STOPPED. A MORE THOROUGH PREFLT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE -- ESPECIALLY RIGHT AFTER A WASH JOB. WHOEVER WASHED IT SHOULD USE SOMETHING OTHER THAN SMALL; ALMOST INVISIBLE BAND-AIDS TO COVER STATIC PORTS; ETC. I REALLY DON'T KNOW IF I WOULD HAVE CAUGHT IT; AS IT DID BLEND WITH THE BRONZE PITOT TUBE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

PA28-101 pilot return land after discovering no airspeed indication. Pilot finds pitot tube blocked by a band-aid.