A C152 pilot reports grass cuttings blown into the aircraft's elevator and rudder during takeoff cau...

Attributes
ACN	796482
Time
Date	200807
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Cessna 152
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 680 flight time type : 120
ASRS Report	796482
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters : fod ground encounters other other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Airport

Narrative:

During the takeoff rotation on runway 17L; a patch of dry grass from previous day's landscaping blew onto runway; and was propelled aft by the propeller and became lodged in the right most corner of the elevator and the horizontal stabilizer. Results were a full pitch up confign with no forward pitch available. Given the phase of flight at time of occurrence; left turning tendency of the aircraft was most pronounced due to the high pitch climb confign; rendering rudder effectiveness minimal. Full forward force to the control yoke was required and applied throughout the climb and approach until a safe landing was assured. Decision to continue takeoff was made due to a wind drift caused by the high pitch attitude and xwinds; and no more remaining runway for safe landing. Around 400 ft MSL; on runway heading; emergency with tower was declared and request was made to return and land. ATIS winds at time of incident were reporting 240 degrees at 8 KTS. After landing; and parking; a call to tower was made with a recap of the situation. Tower personnel advised that they will dispatch sweepers to have the runways cleaned.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C152 PILOT REPORTS GRASS CUTTINGS BLOWN INTO THE ACFT'S ELEVATOR AND RUDDER DURING TKOF CAUSED A PITCH UP AND TURN. AN EMER RETURN WAS EXECUTED.

Narrative: DURING THE TKOF ROTATION ON RWY 17L; A PATCH OF DRY GRASS FROM PREVIOUS DAY'S LANDSCAPING BLEW ONTO RWY; AND WAS PROPELLED AFT BY THE PROP AND BECAME LODGED IN THE R MOST CORNER OF THE ELEVATOR AND THE HORIZ STABILIZER. RESULTS WERE A FULL PITCH UP CONFIGN WITH NO FORWARD PITCH AVAILABLE. GIVEN THE PHASE OF FLT AT TIME OF OCCURRENCE; L TURNING TENDENCY OF THE ACFT WAS MOST PRONOUNCED DUE TO THE HIGH PITCH CLB CONFIGN; RENDERING RUDDER EFFECTIVENESS MINIMAL. FULL FORWARD FORCE TO THE CTL YOKE WAS REQUIRED AND APPLIED THROUGHOUT THE CLB AND APCH UNTIL A SAFE LNDG WAS ASSURED. DECISION TO CONTINUE TKOF WAS MADE DUE TO A WIND DRIFT CAUSED BY THE HIGH PITCH ATTITUDE AND XWINDS; AND NO MORE REMAINING RWY FOR SAFE LNDG. AROUND 400 FT MSL; ON RWY HDG; EMER WITH TWR WAS DECLARED AND REQUEST WAS MADE TO RETURN AND LAND. ATIS WINDS AT TIME OF INCIDENT WERE RPTING 240 DEGS AT 8 KTS. AFTER LNDG; AND PARKING; A CALL TO TWR WAS MADE WITH A RECAP OF THE SITUATION. TWR PERSONNEL ADVISED THAT THEY WILL DISPATCH SWEEPERS TO HAVE THE RWYS CLEANED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.

A C152 pilot reports grass cuttings blown into the aircraft's elevator and rudder during takeoff caused a pitch up and turn. An emergency return was executed.