A LONG-EZ AT 2200 FT LOST PWR AND MADE AN OFF-FIELD LNDG. CAUSED BY FUEL LINE FITTING VIBRATING LOOSE. NO DAMAGE INCURRED TO ACFT.

Date: 2005-10 · Aircraft: Amateur/Home Built/Experimental · Phase: climb

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-critical

Synopsis

A LONG-EZ AT 2200 FT LOST PWR AND MADE AN OFF-FIELD LNDG. CAUSED BY FUEL LINE FITTING VIBRATING LOOSE. NO DAMAGE INCURRED TO ACFT.

Narrative

ENG LOST PWR (LATER DETERMINED CAUSE TO BE LOOSE FUEL LINE) AT APPROX 1500 FT AGL. PLT ATTEMPTED RESTART PROC -- SWITCHING TANKS; USING BOOST PUMP; ETC; AND BEGAN LOOKING FOR OFF-SITE LNDG AREA. SAFELY LANDED ON HWY AFTER ESTABLISHING BEST GLIDE SPD AND LOOKING FOR TFC ON THE ROADWAY. IMPORTANT SITUATIONAL AWARENESS -- THIS WAS PROBABLY THE ONLY PLACE TO LAND SAFELY. VERY HVY INDUSTRIAL AREA WITHIN 1-2 MI RADIUS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ACTIONS WHEN FACING AN ENG PWR FAILURE IS SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. YOU CAN GET BUSY TRYING TO ATTEMPT RESTART; SWITCHING ON PUMPS AND OTHER TROUBLESHOOTING ACTION; BUT YOU BETTER LOOK FOR A PLACE TO PUT IT DOWN! THE HWY WAS CLR BUT WAS IN AN INDUSTRIAL AREA WITH ASSOCIATED PWR LINES; TELEPHONE LINES AND UTILITY POLES. THE AIRPLANE HAD NO DAMAGE AND WAS DISASSEMBLED AND BROUGHT BACK TO THE ARPT IN A TRAILER. THE AIRPLANE WAS BUILT BY THE OWNER PLT TAKING 11 YRS FOR CONSTRUCTION AND HAS BEEN OPERATED FOR 5 YRS BY THE OWNER.

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