Narrative:

Shortly after takeoff (student at the controls); while over trees (approximately 50 ft tall); we experienced a torque kick and partial loss of power. I immediately took the controls. We lost about 25-50 ft of altitude. Our normal departure path when on a runway 36 confign is to the west over the trees. As I had already lost some altitude; I made the decision to turn right toward the active runway. I made 2 calls to tower with no response. At that time I looked to the right; down the active runway and not seeing any traffic elected to continue toward the parallel taxiway on the east side of the active runway. As I approached the active runway; tower called and asked my intentions. I told tower I had an engine problem and wanted to land on the taxiway. At this time tower informed me of the learjet on landing rollout and told me to continue to the taxiway. In hindsight; I should have remained west of the active until in definite contact with the tower. At the time I felt I had the choice between a steep approach to the grass with an unsure engine or a more normal approach to the taxiway across the active. The safest thing; however; would have been to remain on the west side and accept a landing on the grass. I'm not sure if there is a training aspect that would have made this any better. It was just not a very good decision on my part; but at the time it seemed like the best course of action.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN H269 INSTRUCTOR PLT AND STUDENT EXPERIENCED A PWR LOSS AND RETURNED TO A TXWY PARALLEL TO THE ARPT'S ACTIVE RWY.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER TKOF (STUDENT AT THE CTLS); WHILE OVER TREES (APPROX 50 FT TALL); WE EXPERIENCED A TORQUE KICK AND PARTIAL LOSS OF PWR. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE CTLS. WE LOST ABOUT 25-50 FT OF ALT. OUR NORMAL DEP PATH WHEN ON A RWY 36 CONFIGN IS TO THE W OVER THE TREES. AS I HAD ALREADY LOST SOME ALT; I MADE THE DECISION TO TURN R TOWARD THE ACTIVE RWY. I MADE 2 CALLS TO TWR WITH NO RESPONSE. AT THAT TIME I LOOKED TO THE R; DOWN THE ACTIVE RWY AND NOT SEEING ANY TFC ELECTED TO CONTINUE TOWARD THE PARALLEL TXWY ON THE E SIDE OF THE ACTIVE RWY. AS I APCHED THE ACTIVE RWY; TWR CALLED AND ASKED MY INTENTIONS. I TOLD TWR I HAD AN ENG PROB AND WANTED TO LAND ON THE TXWY. AT THIS TIME TWR INFORMED ME OF THE LEARJET ON LNDG ROLLOUT AND TOLD ME TO CONTINUE TO THE TXWY. IN HINDSIGHT; I SHOULD HAVE REMAINED W OF THE ACTIVE UNTIL IN DEFINITE CONTACT WITH THE TWR. AT THE TIME I FELT I HAD THE CHOICE BTWN A STEEP APCH TO THE GRASS WITH AN UNSURE ENG OR A MORE NORMAL APCH TO THE TXWY ACROSS THE ACTIVE. THE SAFEST THING; HOWEVER; WOULD HAVE BEEN TO REMAIN ON THE W SIDE AND ACCEPT A LNDG ON THE GRASS. I'M NOT SURE IF THERE IS A TRAINING ASPECT THAT WOULD HAVE MADE THIS ANY BETTER. IT WAS JUST NOT A VERY GOOD DECISION ON MY PART; BUT AT THE TIME IT SEEMED LIKE THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION.

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.