Narrative:

Pilot was to demonstrate aircraft to a potential purchaser. After a complete preflight in the aircraft hangar; a 6 ft steel towbar; painted yellow; was attached to the nose gear and the plane was pulled from the hangar by a tractor used as a tug. The tug was unhooked and re-parked. The pilot and passenger boarded from the rear of the aircraft and following the aircraft checklist started the engine; received ATC pre-taxi clearance. Following ground control clearance taxied to a run-up location. After run-up; aircraft was cleared to back taxi on the runway; cleared for take-off; to be followed by a left turn on course to a training area. The first sign of trouble the pilot recognized was a failure of the landing gear to fully retract and an unsafe gear warning light that remained lit on the glare shield. Pilot moved gear to down; got main gear green lights but no nose gear light. Pilot called the tower and asked for a visual check on down wind and was told the nose gear appeared to be in trail with a yellow object attached. Pilot asked for a flyby for confirmation. Yellow object was confirmed by tower. Pilot made one additional left pattern and was cleared to land. Prior to landing; pilot had passenger slide seat fully to rear; re-tighten seat belts and open the two latches on the door to let the door trail open. When on final approach; as airspeed slowed to about 80 KTS; the nose gear completed its extension and all gear lights showed green. Landing was made with 10 degrees of flaps in a nose high; flat; powered approach; the nose gear was held off and let down gently; followed by light breaking until stopped. Tower was advised of pilot intent to shutdown aircraft on the runway. Pilot and passenger exited the aircraft and were met by fire and rescue personnel. Tow bar was removed. Aircraft was inspected by pilot and there was no apparent damage (no fluids; paint transfer of any kind anywhere on aircraft; or any metal or propeller damage). After release by operations staff on site; aircraft was taxied back to hangar under its own power and ATC clearance. Aircraft will be inspected by appropriate aviation maintenance personnel prior to further operation. Unbelievably; the aircraft pushed this 30 pound tow bar about 2 miles without any personnel; including tower staff; seeing it and advising the pilot. Focus on demonstrating the aircraft caused the pilot to fail to complete the preflight actions he has been doing without fail for 40+ years. I was distracted and did not do a final look before I got into the airplane. Part of the problem was the use of a tug and large tow bar rather than the normal; small bar that is stowed in the aircraft after use. Things easily could not have worked out so well. Key to the successful landing was remembering to fly the plane first; and the prompt compliance with pilot instructions by the passenger. (A pre-flight passenger safety briefing had been given). An addition to the pre-engine start checklist will be 'towbar removed and stowed.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 pilot reports forgetting to remove a large steel tow bar from the nose gear prior to engine start and takeoff. Tow bar is detected when nose gear will not retract. Nose gear does not indicate safe until the aircraft slows below 80 KTS on final. Landing and rollout are uneventful with no apparent aircraft damage.

Narrative: Pilot was to demonstrate aircraft to a potential purchaser. After a complete preflight in the aircraft hangar; a 6 FT steel towbar; painted yellow; was attached to the nose gear and the plane was pulled from the hangar by a tractor used as a tug. The tug was unhooked and re-parked. The pilot and passenger boarded from the rear of the aircraft and following the aircraft checklist started the engine; received ATC pre-taxi clearance. Following Ground Control clearance taxied to a run-up location. After run-up; aircraft was cleared to back taxi on the runway; cleared for take-off; to be followed by a left turn on course to a training area. The first sign of trouble the pilot recognized was a failure of the landing gear to fully retract and an unsafe gear warning light that remained lit on the glare shield. Pilot moved gear to down; got main gear green lights but no nose gear light. Pilot called the Tower and asked for a visual check on down wind and was told the nose gear appeared to be in trail with a yellow object attached. Pilot asked for a flyby for confirmation. Yellow object was confirmed by Tower. Pilot made one additional left pattern and was cleared to land. Prior to landing; pilot had passenger slide seat fully to rear; re-tighten seat belts and open the two latches on the door to let the door trail open. When on final approach; as airspeed slowed to about 80 KTS; the nose gear completed its extension and all gear lights showed green. Landing was made with 10 degrees of flaps in a nose high; flat; powered approach; the nose gear was held off and let down gently; followed by light breaking until stopped. Tower was advised of pilot intent to shutdown aircraft on the runway. Pilot and passenger exited the aircraft and were met by fire and rescue personnel. Tow bar was removed. Aircraft was inspected by pilot and there was no apparent damage (no fluids; paint transfer of any kind anywhere on aircraft; or any metal or propeller damage). After release by operations staff on site; aircraft was taxied back to hangar under its own power and ATC clearance. Aircraft will be inspected by appropriate aviation maintenance personnel prior to further operation. Unbelievably; the aircraft pushed this 30 pound tow bar about 2 miles without any personnel; including Tower staff; seeing it and advising the pilot. Focus on demonstrating the aircraft caused the pilot to fail to complete the preflight actions he has been doing without fail for 40+ years. I was distracted and did not do a final look before I got into the airplane. Part of the problem was the use of a tug and large tow bar rather than the normal; small bar that is stowed in the aircraft after use. Things easily could not have worked out so well. Key to the successful landing was remembering to fly the plane first; and the prompt compliance with pilot instructions by the passenger. (A pre-flight passenger safety briefing had been given). An addition to the pre-engine start checklist will be 'Towbar removed and stowed.'

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.