NIGHT FLT; EARLY MORNING; ENG QUIT. UNABLE TO START. LANDED GEAR UP ON HIGHWAY.
Synopsis
NIGHT FLT; EARLY MORNING; ENG QUIT. UNABLE TO START. LANDED GEAR UP ON HIGHWAY.
Narrative
I TOOK OFF FROM SPRINGFIELD; MO; ARPT AT NIGHT FLYING BACK TO LEE'S SUMMIT; MO. ABOUT 5 MINS FROM LEE'S SUMMIT ARPT THE ENG QUIT RUNNING. THE WK BEFORE MY PARTNER HAD MAGNETO PROBLEMS WITH THIS AIRPLANE. THE FIRST THINK THAT COMES TO MIND WAS THE MAGNETOS. I PUSHED IN THE LEAN MIXTURE CTL; TURNED TO THE L TO LOOK FOR WINNEBAGO ARPT. I COULD NOT SEE IT; IT IS CLOSED BUT I HOPED I COULD SEE THE RWY. I DIDN'T. I TRIED PRIMING THE AIRPLANE; IT DIDN'T DO ANY GOOD. I WAS LOOKING FOR A FIELD TO LAND IN. I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING. I TURNED ON THE LNDG LIGHTS. I STILL DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING. I TURNED THEM OFF AND STILL COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING. I TOLD MY WIFE TO LOOK FOR A PLACE TO LAND. SHE WAS THE ONLY ONE WITH ME IN THE PLANE. SHE SAID SHE THOUGHT SHE SAW A SCHOOL; ON HER R. I TURNED THE AIRPLANE TO THE R; WHICH PUT ME GOING N. I HAD TURNED THE LNDG LIGHTS BACK ON; TRYING TO SEE SOMETHING. AS THE ACFT LIGHTS WENT ACROSS THE DUAL LANES OF HIGHWAY 50 I SAW THE WHITE LINES DOWN THE CENTER OF THE HIGHWAY. I MADE A L TURN ABOUT 50-60 FT ABOVE THE GND. WITH LNDG GEAR UP I LANDED ON HIGHWAY 50 WBOUND LANE. I FORGOT TO SWITCH TANKS BEFORE I TOOK OFF AT SPRINGFIELD ARPT. IT WAS LIGHTNING ALL AROUND IN FRONT OF US. I HAD CHKED THE TEMP ON THE ENG AND THE MANIFOLD PRESSURE AND RPMS BUT NOT THE FUEL GAUGES.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.