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A PA28 instructor with a student noticed engine abnormalities after takeoff and took control of the aircraft; maneuvering to a safe landing at departure airport.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 718848 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200611 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | msl single value : 700 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : zzz.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : initial |
| Route In Use | approach : traffic pattern |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot instruction : instructor |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 4110 flight time type : 65 |
| ASRS Report | 718848 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | instruction : trainee |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : landed in emergency condition |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
While on climb out in a piper warrior at ZZZ; we noticed a decline in oil pressure and engine RPM. I informed the student that there was an engine problem and that the best course of action would be to land as soon as possible. I then informed tower that I was having an engine problem and requested a runway. I maneuvered the aircraft and made an uneventful landing on runway. Engine shut down; and aircraft towed to the ramp. The problem arose from lack of oil in aircraft's engine. Chain of events: 1) a&P mechanic fails to alert aircraft owner that 'work' was being done on the aircraft -- disconnected an 'oil line.' 2) student performs preflight and fails to notice that all upper cowl screws are missing. (Mechanic felt that the missing screws were enough warning to a pilot not to fly this aircraft.) 3) instructor's over reliance on student's ability to properly use preflight and cockpit checklists and over reliance on oil temperature gauge to monitor engine temperature. Mechanic reconnected line. P.south. Put oil in engine and engine runs fine.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A PA28 INSTRUCTOR WITH A STUDENT NOTICED ENG ABNORMALITIES AFTER TKOF AND TOOK CTL OF THE ACFT; MANEUVERING TO A SAFE LNDG AT DEP ARPT.
Narrative: WHILE ON CLBOUT IN A PIPER WARRIOR AT ZZZ; WE NOTICED A DECLINE IN OIL PRESSURE AND ENG RPM. I INFORMED THE STUDENT THAT THERE WAS AN ENG PROB AND THAT THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION WOULD BE TO LAND ASAP. I THEN INFORMED TWR THAT I WAS HAVING AN ENG PROB AND REQUESTED A RWY. I MANEUVERED THE ACFT AND MADE AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG ON RWY. ENG SHUT DOWN; AND ACFT TOWED TO THE RAMP. THE PROB AROSE FROM LACK OF OIL IN ACFT'S ENG. CHAIN OF EVENTS: 1) A&P MECH FAILS TO ALERT ACFT OWNER THAT 'WORK' WAS BEING DONE ON THE ACFT -- DISCONNECTED AN 'OIL LINE.' 2) STUDENT PERFORMS PREFLT AND FAILS TO NOTICE THAT ALL UPPER COWL SCREWS ARE MISSING. (MECH FELT THAT THE MISSING SCREWS WERE ENOUGH WARNING TO A PLT NOT TO FLY THIS ACFT.) 3) INSTRUCTOR'S OVER RELIANCE ON STUDENT'S ABILITY TO PROPERLY USE PREFLT AND COCKPIT CHKLISTS AND OVER RELIANCE ON OIL TEMP GAUGE TO MONITOR ENG TEMP. MECH RECONNECTED LINE. P.S. PUT OIL IN ENG AND ENG RUNS FINE.
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.