Pilot Short Story | Stuck on a Feeling

In this, the newest Pilot Short Story produced by the AOPA Air Safety Institute, a pilot must make a split-second decision: either abort his takeoff or continue the flight up into uncertainty. Noting that his airplane doesn't usually shake excessively during the takeoff roll, the pilot cuts the power and safely taxis off the runway. After discovering that the number four exhaust valve was stuck, he concludes the lesson learned from this experience is to trust that pestering feeling when something doesn't feel right.

NOTE:
1.The AOPA Sweepstakes Cessna 170B has since received a new Continental Prime IO-370 195-hp engine.
2. When flying at a non-towered airport, all runways are considered active.

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[smartysmarty]

About 20 years ago, I was flying a Warrior, departing from International Falls on my way into Canada, fully loaded. On run up (mag check) something wasn't right....the rpm's were dropping farther than normal on one side, if I remember correctly. The engine didn't feel like it had full power. So, being a Sunday morning, I still listened to my little voice and went back to the ramp. They had to call the mechanic in, and he pulled some plugs and found the smallest little metal shaving you could ever imagine on the tip of one of the plugs. And that was the cause of it. It was probably about 1/16" square, if that. Always listen to your little voice...

[StanBarankiewicz]

I made a pact with myself that if that little voice in my head is raising a concern, I listen and immediately abort the takeoff, mission, or whatever. I would rather the mechanic tell me everything is okay than risk that it's not. This is even more important when you are carrying passengers! My next article will talk about our solemn duty to protect our passengers.

[jwills]

Absolutely a great way to operate. If it doesn't feel right, it typically isn't. Was on a full power climb out at approx. 200ft when suddenly the engine starting running very rough accompanied by a high pitched metallic pinging noise we could hear through our headsets, quickly followed by a light oil spray coming up onto the windscreen. We pulled power back to 80% and everything returned back to normal. We contemplated for a brief second if we wanted to be stranded far away from our home airport and have it grounded here, or nurse it 20 minutes back to our airport. We obviously made the decision to make an immediate 180 and land back on the runway and shut down to check it out. Long story short, we had hitch a ride back. I had gotten some judgement for not flying it back because of a small oil leak, but when they pulled it apart, they changed their minds. When the A&P took it apart the next day, the lifter for the exhaust valve had come apart, and chewed the pushrod and pushrod tube as it moved throughout it, also blowing out the oil seal. I was glad we ended up back on the ramp instead of halfway home in a field with a blown engine and a bent airplane. Always listen to that voice in the back of your head, especially when it comes to your safety.

[af]

I do aborted takeoffs with my students all the time. I slightly nudge a rudder, or will announce something on the runway. Sometimes I simply say "Abort, abort" sternly.
With my more advanced students, I'll make that call at rotation speed. Better with a CFI, than learning solo in a real scenario.
Good call.

[AllenPortman-nd]

When doing my PPL training back in the 90s, the exact same thing happened to me. Went to the airport fueled up taxied to run-up area and while doing the run up and suddenly sensed a roughness in the engine...same as you experience. I attempted for several minutes adjusting fuel, checked instruments, repeated run-up, everything looked fine. The engine just felt rough. I said to self "No, not today. Not going to attempt to fly when something is telling me not today". So I taxied back, tied-down, and advised mechanic. Mechanic came out, I fired up the plane, and the mechanic shook his head and said "stuck exhaust valve". He told me that I probably would have been okay but if had occurred during take-off and flight, but with the power loss it would have been a puckering flight to the airport 😬I counted my blessings waited until another day to fly!!! I agree. If something doesn't feel right during a run-up or any other time have mechanic to check before lining up on the runway!!!

[matthiasthum]

An aborted take-off was part of my final practical exam here in Germany. The tester pulled the throttle shortly after take-off so I had to land immediately on the runway. I am glad I practiced this before with my flight instructor. This should be a part of every pilots training.

[martinabud]

Very good point to add on the check list a full power check at the run-up.

[zamzamayubi]

The best practice ... dont T/O with doubts & noises .. awesome share of experience which is needed for a better Flight safety !

[enthalpy]

Static rpm is important. I look for it as soon as I advance throttle I want to see 2250 within 2-3 seconds. Any longer to get there or lower rpm and I will abort and do a true static check. I call “max static” as part of my takeoff roll.
Good decision making pulling power.

[readgodlygamers]

I love videos like this! Invaluable information from other pilots must not be underappreciated, regardless of flight time. Thanks for sharing!

[someguyontheinternet]

Better to be on the ground wishing you were in the air than in the air wishing you were on the ground.

[akiko]

I had to reject a take off once. A nice bonus was that a flight of F-18's had to go around and provided a nice up-close airshow as they flew the pattern to land. (The reason for the reject was later traced to a problem with one of the cylinders that had to be replaced.)

[kyleparrish]

"Gut" feelings is the reason humans made it off the savannahs of Africa to reach every corner of the world. Even if everything makes sense logically but you have a feeling that something isn't right right, that little voice is driven by thousands of years of evolution and is worth listening to.

[pwilson]

The best thing you can add to your airplane is an engine monitor. I had this exact thing happen and knew exactly what was happening and which cylinder it was before I shut the engine down.

[bw]

Full power static checks aren’t needed unless you are doing a short field/obstacle TO or getting launched off an aircraft carrier. Restraining any equipment at full power that is designed for forward motion is hard on the equipment and passengers. Any GA aircraft at 90% of the airports have more than ample runway to make the check on TO roll as illustrated by your abort here. Static full power run ups really mess-up the props and often leading edges of stab. If you suspect anything, you can always taxi back and do a static check then but not as a general run up procedure.

[TheAirplaneDriver]

I got to 1:32 and knew exactly what was wrong. Been there, done that in my 140.

[pharmakon]

As soon as you said it was running rough on startup and then smoothed out as it warmed up I guessed t was morning sickness with a stuck valve. That is a telltale symptom every time.

[DutchCedarConsulting]

Our flying club maintenance VP always said that if it isn’t right, it’s wrong.

[CandyGirl]

Thank goodness you weren't able to get up to full speed for take off - I got the feeling that if you had managed full speed, you would have proceeded with the takeoff then maybe sat with a world of trouble in the air. Trust your gut!

[grimdrown]

I had a similar problem with my 170 bout 25 yeats ago but Iwas flying out of a 2000 foot rough field normal run up applied full power but the rough field and noise covered the fact that engine was rough till wheels left ground looked over saw 1900 rpm no straight ahead as all houses etc climbed at 150 ft per till saw 300 ft very shalow turn did impossible turn, returned . Lesson learned always look at the tach