Shortly after takeoff on an IFR training flight; the PA28 suffers a partial loss of power. When the ...

Attributes
ACN	692038
Time
Date	200603
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : zzz.vor
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 900
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time total : 100 flight time type : 92
ASRS Report	692038
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : landed as precaution
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

My cfii and I departed on an IFR flight plan training flight. We received our clearance and were told to contact departure when airborne. At 350 ft AGL; I contacted departure and they got us on radar. At about 900 ft MSL; the engine started to sputter and to me; engine failure seemed imminent. I immediately turned back to the airport on the power we had left. The engine was still running; but given our altitude and distance from the airport; I thought it was necessary to notify ATC of the problem and why we were deviating. I started my radio call saying 'warrior XXX experiencing engine TR...' and that's all my instructor let me do; switching frequency right away so that the rest of my call wouldn't be heard. He stated that the call was not necessary since the airport would be made and we wouldn't crash (which I was still unsure of). We landed; taxied on the little power we had and only then was I told to contact clearance and tell them we were ok. The controller informed me that since they lost communications with us; saw a rapid descent; and immediate sharp turn; they thought we crashed and had rescue squads on alert. After all was explained; I apologized and the controller said good-bye. At this point; I am still unsure of why a radio call should not be made since we deviated from our clearance and were experiencing engine trouble. In my opinion; it is far better to tell someone and land safely with rescue squads on alert than to stay quiet and be in the trees. Wanted to have this on record because there is a radio call that has the beginning of my transmission. In the future; better CRM and crew communication would lead to better decision making.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SHORTLY AFTER TKOF ON AN IFR TRAINING FLT; THE PA28 SUFFERS A PARTIAL LOSS OF PWR. WHEN THE STUDENT TRIES TO ADVISE ATC THE INSTRUCTOR DISABLES THE XMISSION AND TELLS THE STUDENT SUCH A XMISSION WAS NOT NECESSARY.

Narrative: MY CFII AND I DEPARTED ON AN IFR FLT PLAN TRAINING FLT. WE RECEIVED OUR CLRNC AND WERE TOLD TO CONTACT DEP WHEN AIRBORNE. AT 350 FT AGL; I CONTACTED DEP AND THEY GOT US ON RADAR. AT ABOUT 900 FT MSL; THE ENG STARTED TO SPUTTER AND TO ME; ENG FAILURE SEEMED IMMINENT. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED BACK TO THE ARPT ON THE PWR WE HAD LEFT. THE ENG WAS STILL RUNNING; BUT GIVEN OUR ALT AND DISTANCE FROM THE ARPT; I THOUGHT IT WAS NECESSARY TO NOTIFY ATC OF THE PROB AND WHY WE WERE DEVIATING. I STARTED MY RADIO CALL SAYING 'WARRIOR XXX EXPERIENCING ENG TR...' AND THAT'S ALL MY INSTRUCTOR LET ME DO; SWITCHING FREQ RIGHT AWAY SO THAT THE REST OF MY CALL WOULDN'T BE HEARD. HE STATED THAT THE CALL WAS NOT NECESSARY SINCE THE ARPT WOULD BE MADE AND WE WOULDN'T CRASH (WHICH I WAS STILL UNSURE OF). WE LANDED; TAXIED ON THE LITTLE PWR WE HAD AND ONLY THEN WAS I TOLD TO CONTACT CLRNC AND TELL THEM WE WERE OK. THE CTLR INFORMED ME THAT SINCE THEY LOST COMS WITH US; SAW A RAPID DSCNT; AND IMMEDIATE SHARP TURN; THEY THOUGHT WE CRASHED AND HAD RESCUE SQUADS ON ALERT. AFTER ALL WAS EXPLAINED; I APOLOGIZED AND THE CTLR SAID GOOD-BYE. AT THIS POINT; I AM STILL UNSURE OF WHY A RADIO CALL SHOULD NOT BE MADE SINCE WE DEVIATED FROM OUR CLRNC AND WERE EXPERIENCING ENG TROUBLE. IN MY OPINION; IT IS FAR BETTER TO TELL SOMEONE AND LAND SAFELY WITH RESCUE SQUADS ON ALERT THAN TO STAY QUIET AND BE IN THE TREES. WANTED TO HAVE THIS ON RECORD BECAUSE THERE IS A RADIO CALL THAT HAS THE BEGINNING OF MY XMISSION. IN THE FUTURE; BETTER CRM AND CREW COM WOULD LEAD TO BETTER DECISION MAKING.

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.

Shortly after takeoff on an IFR training flight; the PA28 suffers a partial loss of power. When the student tries to advise ATC the instructor disables the transmission and tells the student such a transmission was not necessary.