Narrative:

I was PIC. The aircraft flown is an sa-227AC; operating under far part 91. I had received my IFR clearance departing bro en route to elp. Procedurally; after receiving takeoff clearance; I taxied the aircraft onto runway 13R. We finished all before takeoff checklists and pilot briefings. I then gave control of the aircraft to my first officer; it was his leg. After being cleared for takeoff; the first officer advanced the power levers toward maximum power. As we rolled down the runway; I noted a differential power indication. There was low power on the left engine. I called for 'my airplane;' as I did; the first officer released control of the aircraft to me. As I took control; the aircraft immediately started hard to the left; I simultaneously and immediately aborted the takeoff! Directional control was a challenge. The aircraft momentarily went off the hard surface of the runway. I was able to keep the aircraft under control and returned it to the runway. I then taxied to the ramp via the normal txwys. I did not hit or damage anything (ie; signs or lights; etc). I called our company operations and personally visually inspected the aircraft. No damage or abnormalities were noted by me. Our operations coordinated with our maintenance to have the aircraft inspector by a licensed aircraft mechanic the next morning. Following the airplane inspection by the mechanic at brownsville airport there was no damage; defects or abnormalities noted. The aircraft was returned to service. From this event I have learned how important it is for me not to become complacent and to more aggressively use CRM. The company immediately provided additional training -- ground and flight. I completed the training with good marks. I feel I am a good pilot that allowed myself to become complacent. I've learned an important lesson and will not allow this situation to occur again. Supplemental information from acn 670967: as we rolled down the runway; the captain noticed a differential power indication coming from the left engine. He called for 'his flight controls.' I immediately then released my hand from the power levers. The removal of my hand led to the disengagement of the nosewheel steering due to the button's placement on the left power lever. This caused the aircraft to yaw to the left. As the speed decreased; the captain was then able to bring the aircraft under control and get back onto the runway. I also have learned the importance of; without hesitation; implementing the procedures discussed in a takeoff briefing: 'below 80 KTS we will abort for engine fire; engine failure; or loss of directional control.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF SA227 EXPERIENCE RWY EXCURSION WHEN XFERRING CTL FROM FO TO CAPT DUE TO REJECTION OF TKOF.

Narrative: I WAS PIC. THE ACFT FLOWN IS AN SA-227AC; OPERATING UNDER FAR PART 91. I HAD RECEIVED MY IFR CLRNC DEPARTING BRO ENRTE TO ELP. PROCEDURALLY; AFTER RECEIVING TKOF CLRNC; I TAXIED THE ACFT ONTO RWY 13R. WE FINISHED ALL BEFORE TKOF CHKLISTS AND PLT BRIEFINGS. I THEN GAVE CTL OF THE ACFT TO MY FO; IT WAS HIS LEG. AFTER BEING CLRED FOR TKOF; THE FO ADVANCED THE PWR LEVERS TOWARD MAX PWR. AS WE ROLLED DOWN THE RWY; I NOTED A DIFFERENTIAL PWR INDICATION. THERE WAS LOW PWR ON THE L ENG. I CALLED FOR 'MY AIRPLANE;' AS I DID; THE FO RELEASED CTL OF THE ACFT TO ME. AS I TOOK CTL; THE ACFT IMMEDIATELY STARTED HARD TO THE L; I SIMULTANEOUSLY AND IMMEDIATELY ABORTED THE TKOF! DIRECTIONAL CTL WAS A CHALLENGE. THE ACFT MOMENTARILY WENT OFF THE HARD SURFACE OF THE RWY. I WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE ACFT UNDER CTL AND RETURNED IT TO THE RWY. I THEN TAXIED TO THE RAMP VIA THE NORMAL TXWYS. I DID NOT HIT OR DAMAGE ANYTHING (IE; SIGNS OR LIGHTS; ETC). I CALLED OUR COMPANY OPS AND PERSONALLY VISUALLY INSPECTED THE ACFT. NO DAMAGE OR ABNORMALITIES WERE NOTED BY ME. OUR OPS COORDINATED WITH OUR MAINT TO HAVE THE ACFT INSPECTOR BY A LICENSED ACFT MECH THE NEXT MORNING. FOLLOWING THE AIRPLANE INSPECTION BY THE MECHANIC AT BROWNSVILLE AIRPORT THERE WAS NO DAMAGE; DEFECTS OR ABNORMALITIES NOTED. THE ACFT WAS RETURNED TO SVC. FROM THIS EVENT I HAVE LEARNED HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR ME NOT TO BECOME COMPLACENT AND TO MORE AGGRESSIVELY USE CRM. THE COMPANY IMMEDIATELY PROVIDED ADDITIONAL TRAINING -- GND AND FLT. I COMPLETED THE TRAINING WITH GOOD MARKS. I FEEL I AM A GOOD PLT THAT ALLOWED MYSELF TO BECOME COMPLACENT. I'VE LEARNED AN IMPORTANT LESSON AND WILL NOT ALLOW THIS SIT TO OCCUR AGAIN. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 670967: AS WE ROLLED DOWN THE RWY; THE CAPT NOTICED A DIFFERENTIAL PWR INDICATION COMING FROM THE L ENG. HE CALLED FOR 'HIS FLT CTLS.' I IMMEDIATELY THEN RELEASED MY HAND FROM THE PWR LEVERS. THE REMOVAL OF MY HAND LED TO THE DISENGAGEMENT OF THE NOSEWHEEL STEERING DUE TO THE BUTTON'S PLACEMENT ON THE L PWR LEVER. THIS CAUSED THE ACFT TO YAW TO THE L. AS THE SPD DECREASED; THE CAPT WAS THEN ABLE TO BRING THE ACFT UNDER CTL AND GET BACK ONTO THE RWY. I ALSO HAVE LEARNED THE IMPORTANCE OF; WITHOUT HESITATION; IMPLEMENTING THE PROCS DISCUSSED IN A TKOF BRIEFING: 'BELOW 80 KTS WE WILL ABORT FOR ENG FIRE; ENG FAILURE; OR LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CTL.'

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.