Takeoff with nose tow bar still attached.

Attributes
ACN	94739
Time
Date	198809
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : apa
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5600 msl bound upper : 6600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : apa tower : rno
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground other : taxi landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 6700
ASRS Report	94739
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Aircraft was parked inside hangar overnight at a large national FBO. I ordered the aircraft to be pulled out of the hangar and readied for flight at approximately XA00 local time. Plane was pulled out and had coffee and ice put in, and was presumed ready to fly. Plane was placed at far side of ramp where there was no light from the bldg. I arrived at airport, walked around aircraft, removed engine plugs, removed chock from main gear of aircraft, locked the nose baggage compartments and never saw the tow bar which was painted dark blue and blended into the dark ramp. I taxied out and never felt or heard the tow bar on the nose gear until lift off, when I heard a loud thump and felt a shudder. I presumed that I had blown a nose tire on lift off and returned immediately to a landing. Upon T/D the aircraft immediately veered sharply to the right and I used full differential braking to keep the aircraft straight on the runway. Upon shutdown, I discovered that the tow bar was still attached to the nose gear. Damage consisted only of 6 broken shear bolts in the nose steering collar. It could have been worse.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TKOF WITH NOSE TOW BAR STILL ATTACHED.

Narrative: ACFT WAS PARKED INSIDE HANGAR OVERNIGHT AT A LARGE NATL FBO. I ORDERED THE ACFT TO BE PULLED OUT OF THE HANGAR AND READIED FOR FLT AT APPROX XA00 LCL TIME. PLANE WAS PULLED OUT AND HAD COFFEE AND ICE PUT IN, AND WAS PRESUMED READY TO FLY. PLANE WAS PLACED AT FAR SIDE OF RAMP WHERE THERE WAS NO LIGHT FROM THE BLDG. I ARRIVED AT ARPT, WALKED AROUND ACFT, REMOVED ENG PLUGS, REMOVED CHOCK FROM MAIN GEAR OF ACFT, LOCKED THE NOSE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENTS AND NEVER SAW THE TOW BAR WHICH WAS PAINTED DARK BLUE AND BLENDED INTO THE DARK RAMP. I TAXIED OUT AND NEVER FELT OR HEARD THE TOW BAR ON THE NOSE GEAR UNTIL LIFT OFF, WHEN I HEARD A LOUD THUMP AND FELT A SHUDDER. I PRESUMED THAT I HAD BLOWN A NOSE TIRE ON LIFT OFF AND RETURNED IMMEDIATELY TO A LNDG. UPON T/D THE ACFT IMMEDIATELY VEERED SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT AND I USED FULL DIFFERENTIAL BRAKING TO KEEP THE ACFT STRAIGHT ON THE RWY. UPON SHUTDOWN, I DISCOVERED THAT THE TOW BAR WAS STILL ATTACHED TO THE NOSE GEAR. DAMAGE CONSISTED ONLY OF 6 BROKEN SHEAR BOLTS IN THE NOSE STEERING COLLAR. IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.