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BE90 pilot takes off with tape over static ports for avionics. Discovers inoperative equipment; declares emergency and returns.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 755286 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200709 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | King Air C90 E90 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | ground : takeoff roll ground : preflight |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 145 flight time total : 2200 flight time type : 770 |
| ASRS Report | 755286 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem other |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Maintenance Human Performance |
Narrative:
My avionics technician passed my airplane for its 24 month avionics check. The avionics technician forgot to remove black tape covering 3 of the 4 static holes. I was flying out of ZZZ and received an IFR to VFR clearance. On takeoff; my airspeed indicator was working fine; and my altitude indicator stopped at 400 ft. Just like the books tell you; the altitude indicator acted like a barometer. ATC had showed me squawking 450 ft; and my copilot gauges seemed to work. I began to fly using the copilot instruments. I was on flight following and asked ATC to return to ZZZ. I declared an emergency. They vectored me to ZZZ VOR approach. I made a safe landing. After leaving the plane I found the black tape covering the static holes and removed it. I contacted my avionics technician and told him about the problem. I have grounded the airplane until my avionics technician retests my avionics. It was my fault for not checking the static holes before my flight.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: BE90 PLT TAKES OFF WITH TAPE OVER STATIC PORTS FOR AVIONICS. DISCOVERS INOPERATIVE EQUIPMENT; DECLARES EMERGENCY AND RETURNS.
Narrative: MY AVIONICS TECHNICIAN PASSED MY AIRPLANE FOR ITS 24 MONTH AVIONICS CHK. THE AVIONICS TECHNICIAN FORGOT TO REMOVE BLACK TAPE COVERING 3 OF THE 4 STATIC HOLES. I WAS FLYING OUT OF ZZZ AND RECEIVED AN IFR TO VFR CLRNC. ON TKOF; MY AIRSPD INDICATOR WAS WORKING FINE; AND MY ALT INDICATOR STOPPED AT 400 FT. JUST LIKE THE BOOKS TELL YOU; THE ALT INDICATOR ACTED LIKE A BAROMETER. ATC HAD SHOWED ME SQUAWKING 450 FT; AND MY COPLT GAUGES SEEMED TO WORK. I BEGAN TO FLY USING THE COPLT INSTS. I WAS ON FLT FOLLOWING AND ASKED ATC TO RETURN TO ZZZ. I DECLARED AN EMER. THEY VECTORED ME TO ZZZ VOR APCH. I MADE A SAFE LNDG. AFTER LEAVING THE PLANE I FOUND THE BLACK TAPE COVERING THE STATIC HOLES AND REMOVED IT. I CONTACTED MY AVIONICS TECHNICIAN AND TOLD HIM ABOUT THE PROB. I HAVE GROUNDED THE AIRPLANE UNTIL MY AVIONICS TECHNICIAN RETESTS MY AVIONICS. IT WAS MY FAULT FOR NOT CHKING THE STATIC HOLES BEFORE MY FLT.
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.