C177 pilot attempts to taxi with tow bar still attached; severing the tow bar and nicking the propel...

Attributes
ACN	731775
Time
Date	200703
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : grb.airport
State Reference	WI
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cardinal 177/177RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 115 flight time type : 20
ASRS Report	731775
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe ground encounters other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

After full preflight and run-up; I attempted to call ground for taxi instructions and intentions. I was unable to transmit but could receive. I returned to hangar with intention to push back and placed tow bar on nosewheel. I then realized transmit issue may relate to service that day on mixture body area. I ran the cord back from the aircraft hand microphone and found it partially unplugged under dash. With circuit complete transmit now operable; restarted checklist from start-up and began taxi. During taxi; propeller struck tow bar which was on nosewheel housing. Bar was severed in two and minor nick in propeller. All parts of tow bar were recovered from taxiway area. I failed to restart my checklist from beginning walkaround before re-entering plane with intention to fly and continuing with inboard checklist and flight plan. I became focused on radio problem and when solved did not revert thinking back to preflight fully.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C177 PILOT ATTEMPTS TO TAXI WITH TOW BAR STILL ATTACHED; SEVERING THE TOW BAR AND NICKING THE PROP.

Narrative: AFTER FULL PREFLT AND RUN-UP; I ATTEMPTED TO CALL GND FOR TAXI INSTRUCTIONS AND INTENTIONS. I WAS UNABLE TO XMIT BUT COULD RECEIVE. I RETURNED TO HANGAR WITH INTENTION TO PUSH BACK AND PLACED TOW BAR ON NOSEWHEEL. I THEN REALIZED XMIT ISSUE MAY RELATE TO SVC THAT DAY ON MIXTURE BODY AREA. I RAN THE CORD BACK FROM THE ACFT HAND MIKE AND FOUND IT PARTIALLY UNPLUGGED UNDER DASH. WITH CIRCUIT COMPLETE XMIT NOW OPERABLE; RESTARTED CHKLIST FROM START-UP AND BEGAN TAXI. DURING TAXI; PROP STRUCK TOW BAR WHICH WAS ON NOSEWHEEL HOUSING. BAR WAS SEVERED IN TWO AND MINOR NICK IN PROP. ALL PARTS OF TOW BAR WERE RECOVERED FROM TXWY AREA. I FAILED TO RESTART MY CHKLIST FROM BEGINNING WALKAROUND BEFORE RE-ENTERING PLANE WITH INTENTION TO FLY AND CONTINUING WITH INBOARD CHKLIST AND FLT PLAN. I BECAME FOCUSED ON RADIO PROB AND WHEN SOLVED DID NOT REVERT THINKING BACK TO PREFLT FULLY.

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.

C177 pilot attempts to taxi with tow bar still attached; severing the tow bar and nicking the propeller.