On Sat, 29 Oct 2005 07:37:08 -0500, A Lieberman
wrote:

snip

Fire up the engine, everything running smooth, taxi out to 34R, check
controls, check the L mag, and real rough engine. Check the right mag,
smooth, both setting smooth engine. Thinking hell, something not right,
lean it, try again, no success. Call ground with request to taxi back to
maintenance, 180 on taxiway approved, and shut down. A&P pulls cowling and
sure enough 1 plug wire dangling, and one wire you could see the threads
and it was not tightened down.

This is a customer relations make-or-break situation-I won't get into
the obvious safety of flight issues. I would like to think that some
serious forelock pulling took place on the A&P's (and his
supervisor's) part.

Closest I ever came to this situation was with a Saratoga back in the
80's. After my post-inspection test run, I shut off the engine with
the fuel selector. Old habit-long since "revised".

Did the delivery pitch to the owner, went back in and started working
on something else. "ummm, my airplane won't start". Walked out, turned
the fuel selector on, apologized sincerely, went back to work.

snip

So, the real moral of this story is to stay within range of your airport.
One really never knows....

Typically put 10-15 minutes on after any engine maintenance/annual
inspection, 60-90 minutes on a "new" cylinder/engine install before
returning it to the owner.

Only ever had one customer complain. I asked him if he would rather
fly around the pattern for 45 minutes waiting for something to fail.
He then decided that me doing it for him was acceptable.

TC