PLT OF LUSCOMBE 8A DEPARTS ON SHORT ROUNDTRIP WITH APPROX 7 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD. ON RETURN LEG AN EMER ENG OUT LNDG WAS MADE FOLLOWING ENG FAILURE DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION.

Date: 2006-04 · Aircraft: Small Aircraft · Phase: descent

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-critical|inflight-event-encounter-unstabilized-approach|other-fuel-starvation

Synopsis

PLT OF LUSCOMBE 8A DEPARTS ON SHORT ROUNDTRIP WITH APPROX 7 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD. ON RETURN LEG AN EMER ENG OUT LNDG WAS MADE FOLLOWING ENG FAILURE DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION.

Narrative

I CHKED FUEL IN THE LUSCOMBE THIS AFTERNOON AND IT READ 7 GALLONS. THE ACFT APPEARED TO BE NORMAL AFTER THE REST OF THE PREFLT. THERE WERE MORE THAN 3 QUARTS OF OIL. ASSUMING THAT I WOULD HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH FUEL TO FLY FOR 1 HR AND STILL MEET DAYTIME RESERVE; I TOOK OFF ON THE FIRST INTRO FLT. I FLEW TO VALMIER LAKE AND BACK (2150 RPM'S) AT 2100 FT AND MADE 1 NORMAL LNDG. THAT WAS .6 MAX. I TOOK OFF ON THE SECOND INTRO FLT TO THE LAKE AND BACK AT 2150 RPM AND 2100 FT. ABOUT THE TIME WE WERE ABEAM THE ULTRALIGHT FIELD; THE ENG QUITE SUDDENLY STARTED TO SHUT DOWN. AT FIRST I THOUGHT MY LEG HAD BRUSHED THE FUEL SELECTOR SO I CHKED THAT AS I TOOK THE FLT CTLS. I IMMEDIATELY PITCHED FOR 72 AND CYCLED THE MAGNETOS; PULLED OUT THE CARB HEAT. I MADE SURE THAT THE PRIMER WAS LOCKED IN; CHKED OIL TEMP AND PRESSURE; AND STARTED THINKING ABOUT A FIELD OR A ROAD TO LAND ON. IN THE SPAN OF LESS THAN 15 SECONDS AFTER THE ENG QUIT; I DID ALL THE EMER PROCS AND REALIZED THAT SULLIVAN FIELD WAS ABOUT 3 MI TO THE R. WE WERE AT JUST ABOUT 2000 FT WHEN I STARTED MY TURN TOWARDS THE W (INTO THE WIND). I WAS BEGINNING TO QUESTION IF I WOULD MAKE THE FIELD BECAUSE OF THE HEADWIND AND SPINNING DRAG DISC. I MADE SURE TO PITCH FOR 72 AND I START TO PUMP THE THROTTLE ADD FUEL TO SPIN THE ENG THAT WOULD HOPEFULLY OFFSET THE DRAG. IT WORKED FOR ABOUT 15-20 SECONDS. I TOUCHED DOWN NORMALLY AT SULLIVAN FIELD A LITTLE HIGH AND A LITTLE FAST WITH A SLIGHT XWIND. AS I ROLLED TO A STOP; THE PROP STOPPED WINDMILLING.

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