A B35 ENG STOPPED ON SHORT FINAL FORCING THE PLT TO LAND IN THE OVERRUN SHORT OF THE RWY. THE PLT SUSPECTS A CARB PROB.

Date: 2005-04 · Aircraft: Bonanza 35

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-critical|ground-event-encounter-other-unknown|other-engine-stopped-on-short-final

Synopsis

A B35 ENG STOPPED ON SHORT FINAL FORCING THE PLT TO LAND IN THE OVERRUN SHORT OF THE RWY. THE PLT SUSPECTS A CARB PROB.

Narrative

ON SHORT FINAL APCH; ENG BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. I ADJUSTED MIXTURE; AND ENG QUIT. I CHKED FULL MIXTURE AND GOT ONLY A FEW MORE POPS OUT OF IT. I NOTIFIED SOCAL APCH AND PREPARED TO LAND. I LANDED ABOUT 100 YARDS SHORT OF RWY ON THE CLRED AREA; AND COASTED TO ABOUT 100 FT SHORT OF RWY. THE LNDG WAS FIRM AND THE GND WAS ROUGH AND I CAME TO A STOP QUICKLY. UPON CHKING THE PLANE; I WAS FRANKLY A LITTLE SURPRISED TO FIND NO DAMAGE AT ALL. I SCOUTED OUT A RTE VIA A SMALL ROAD TO THE NEAREST TXWY; AND TOOK IT BACK TO THE RAMP. INFORMED ATC VIA A HELI THAT ALL WAS WELL. IN RETROSPECT; THE PROSPECT OF CARB ICE COMES TO MIND; ALTHOUGH THE PRESSURE CARBS IN THESE BONANZAS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE IMMUNE TO IT. I HAD BEEN IN DSCNT; AND OPERATING AT LOW PWR LEVELS FOR AT LEAST 20 MINS. THE ENG DOES NOT ACTUALLY EVEN HAVE CARB HEAT -- ONLY ALT AND CARB AIR. ALSO; THE CARB IN THIS PLANE HAS BECOME MORE AND MORE FINICKY AND SENSITIVE AT HIGH ALTS AND COLD WX. THIS MANIFESTS ITSELF BY THE CARB HAVING A NARROWER AND NARROWER RANGE OF 'ACCEPTABLE' MIXTURE BTWN LEAN CUT-OFF AND TOO-RICH ROUGHNESS AS ALT AND COLD WX INCREASE. TIME FOR ACTION ON THIS MATTER. AT ANY RATE; THE ENG STARTED EASILY AFTER I HAD SPENT MAYBE 10-15 MINS CHKING OUT THE PLANE AND THE RTE OF EGRESS TO THE TXWY. THE GEAR PROVED TO BE UP TO THE TASK OF NEGOTIATING THE ROUGH FIELD; AND BACK PRESSURE WAS USED LIBERALLY. THE HELI MENTIONED EARLIER WAS A POLICE HELI SENT TO CHK OUT MY STATUS; AND WAS A COMFORT TO KNOW HE WAS THERE; ALTHOUGH 20-30 MINS AFTER THE CALL TO ATC.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.