What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) About 7:15 am on Saturday 7/22/2000 I privacy data omitted PIC of aircraft N2709R left lbe on an IFR flight SOP and shortly after takeoff I noticed my altimeter was not working correctly, so I told the tower I needed to land and they said I needed to talk to cleveland center and I needed to land to check problem. They said that if I could see the airport I was cleared to go back and land. I circled the airport and center said if I didn't have proper altitude reporting I'd have to go to allegheny airport where it was VFR because they couldn't set me up for an approach to lbe. Center and I checked my altitude a couple of times and it seemed it came back after a few minutes of flying. I told them I would continue to circle to see if I could see the airport and after I got to the end of the airport close to the end of runway 23 I saw a large opening in the cloud deck and told center that could see the runway and could land with no danger to anyone. I was able to land the plane with ground sight the whole way back to the runway. They said the tower had no other traffic and I was cleared to land which I did with no problem. I taxied to an area off the runway and shut down and checke d to see what was the cause of the problem. I believe a piece of tape might have been the cause of the problem with the pitot tube. Since I had the pitot heat on for the flight into the cloud deck I imagine after a few minutes it must have melted off the tube and restored my altitude. My first thought was I missed the pitot cover or something was blocking the pitot tube.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ABOUT 7:15 AM ON SATURDAY 7/22/2000 I ^PRIVACY DATA OMI^ PIC OF AIRCRAFT N2709R LEFT LBE ON AN IFR FLIGHT SOP AND SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF I NOTICED MY ALTIMETER WAS NOT WORKING CORRECTLY, SO I TOLD THE TOWER I NEEDED TO LAND AND THEY SAID I NEEDED TO TALK TO CLEVELAND CENTER AND I NEEDED TO LAND TO CHECK PROBLEM. THEY SAID THAT IF I COULD SEE THE AIRPORT I WAS CLEARED TO GO BACK AND LAND. I CIRCLED THE AIRPORT AND CENTER SAID IF I DIDN'T HAVE PROPER ALTITUDE REPORTING I'D HAVE TO GO TO ALLEGHENY AIRPORT WHERE IT WAS VFR BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T SET ME UP FOR AN APPROACH TO LBE. CENTER AND I CHECKED MY ALTITUDE A COUPLE OF TIMES AND IT SEEMED IT CAME BACK AFTER A FEW MINUTES OF FLYING. I TOLD THEM I WOULD CONTINUE TO CIRCLE TO SEE IF I COULD SEE THE AIRPORT AND AFTER I GOT TO THE END OF THE AIRPORT CLOSE TO THE END OF RUNWAY 23 I SAW A LARGE OPENING IN THE CLOUD DECK AND TOLD CENTER THAT COULD SEE THE RUNWAY AND COULD LAND WITH NO DANGER TO ANYONE. I WAS ABLE TO LAND THE PLANE WITH GROUND SIGHT THE WHOLE WAY BACK TO THE RUNWAY. THEY SAID THE TOWER HAD NO OTHER TRAFFIC AND I WAS CLEARED TO LAND WHICH I DID WITH NO PROBLEM. I TAXIED TO AN AREA OFF THE RUNWAY AND SHUT DOWN AND CHECKE D TO SEE WHAT WAS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. I BELIEVE A PIECE OF TAPE MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE PITOT TUBE. SINCE I HAD THE PITOT HEAT ON FOR THE FLIGHT INTO THE CLOUD DECK I IMAGINE AFTER A FEW MINUTES IT MUST HAVE MELTED OFF THE TUBE AND RESTORED MY ALTITUDE. MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS I MISSED THE PITOT COVER OR SOMETHING WAS BLOCKING THE PITOT TUBE.
Other reports on N2709R · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.