Aero-Tips!

A good pilot is always learning -- how many times have you heard this old standard throughout your flying career? There is no truer statement in all of flying (well, with the possible exception of "there are no old, bold pilots.")

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Aero-Tips 12.02.06

Here's an excerpt form a recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) preliminary report:

ACFT LANDED WITH TOW BAR STILL ATTACHED TO NOSE WHEEL...

The airplane incurred "minor" damage, according to the report, and the solo pilot was not injured.  How could this have happened?

Preflight actions... and distractions

Unfortunately this type of incident is not rare, or at least not rare enough. Often the airplane suffers a propeller strike against the tow bar immediately upon start-up.

Note: A sudden propeller stoppage or any propeller damage requiring prop removal for repair generally requires not only the propeller work, but also engine removal, tear-down, inspection, repair as necessary, and reassembly, often with replacement parts -- a large part of the expense of a complete engine overhaul for "minor" damage after forgetting the tow bar.

In retractable-gear airplanes, especially multiengine airplanes (where prop strikes with the tow bar aren't usually an issue), the damage happens when the pilot retracts landing gear, and the tow bar tears up nose gear doors and perhaps damages the landing gear itself. In some cases, like the incident recently reported (it was a fixed-gear airplane), the propeller does not hit the tow bar and somehow the tow bar does not dig into the surface during taxi or takeoff. Damage may result when the airplane touches down, as happened in the cited incident.

In all cases, attempted airplane movement with the tow bar attached is a sure sign of pilot distraction. Maybe he/she preflighted the airplane in a hangar, pulled the airplane out, then loaded it for flight. Perhaps something else at the airport robbed the pilot's attention at a critical point. It could be the pilot preflighted inside the hangar, then attached the tow bar to pull the plane out, and left to close the hangar door or move a car inside the hangar before closing up. These are all common preflight actions that could cause a pilot to forget removing the tow bar.

Consider: if you're distracted enough to forget to remove the tow bar, what else might have you forgotten?

Aero-tip of the day: Very last thing before getting aboard an airplane, crouch down to look at all three landing gear legs. This'll help you find and remove the tow bar before starting up (it'll also help prevent the embarrassment of starting engines, only to have to shut down to get out and remove a chock). Slow down and truly inspect the airplane.

FMI: Aero-Tips