Aircraft preparation event involving a Van’s RV-8, Halls Creek Airport, Western Australia, on 31 July 2025

What happened

On 31 July 2025 at about 1100 local time, the pilot of a Van’s RV‑8 planned a private flight with one passenger on board from Halls Creek to Broome, Western Australia. The passenger also held a pilot’s licence. Prior to departure, the pilot conducted a pre‑flight inspection of the aircraft. Believing that the aircraft was prepared for flight, the pilot proceeded to taxi the aircraft to the runway for take‑off. 

During the take-off roll, the pilot did not detect any abnormalities with the airspeed but reported that they were looking outside of the aircraft and not at the airspeed indicator. The aircraft rotated[1] successfully, at which point the pilot then observed airspeed fluctuations, and with no other indications in the cockpit, quickly determined that there was likely a blockage or issue with the pitot tube.[2] The pilot conducted a left turn joining the circuit, returning the aircraft to Halls Creek. 

After landing and taxiing back to the runway threshold, the passenger exited the aircraft, conducted a brief external inspection and confirmed that the pitot cover had not been removed prior to take‑off. Once removed, the passenger returned to the aircraft and the pilot recommenced the take‑off roll without further incident. 

Safety message

This incident highlights the importance of pre‑flight preparation and planning with a high level of attention required when conducting visual inspections of critical aircraft systems. Pilots must ensure that all pre‑flight checks and procedures are carried out systematically as detailed in the aircraft’s flight manual. 

About this report

Decisions regarding whether to conduct an investigation, and the scope of an investigation, are based on many factors, including the level of safety benefit likely to be obtained from an investigation. For this occurrence, no investigation has been conducted and the ATSB did not verify the accuracy of the information. A brief description has been written using information supplied in the notification and any follow-up information in order to produce a short summary report, and allow for greater industry awareness of potential safety issues and possible safety actions.