THE PLT OF AN EXPERIMENTAL ACFT EXPERIENCED ENG FAILURE AND LANDED ON A COUNTY ROAD.

Date: 2006-06 · Aircraft: Amateur/Home Built/Experimental

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-critical

Synopsis

THE PLT OF AN EXPERIMENTAL ACFT EXPERIENCED ENG FAILURE AND LANDED ON A COUNTY ROAD.

Narrative

I WAS PRACTICING AEROBATIC MANEUVERS APPROX 4 MI NW OF ARPT. AFTER FLYING APPROX 20 MINS; THE ENG BEGAN TO LOSE PWR. I STILL HAD PWR AT WHAT FELT LIKE SLIGHTLY ABOVE IDLE FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS. I TRIED TO MAKE IT TO ARPT; BUT THEN THE ENG COMPLETELY QUIT. WHEN IT BECAME EVIDENT THAT I WOULD NOT MAKE THE RWY; I SET UP TO LAND ON A COUNTY ROAD AS THERE WERE NO CARS ON IT. THE LNDG WENT WELL; AND THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO MY PLANE; NO DAMAGE TO PROPERTY; AND NO INJURY TO ME OR OTHERS. 3 PEOPLE HELPED PUSH MY PLANE THE 1/2 - 1 MI BACK TO ARPT. A MECH DETERMINED THAT MY FUEL SERVO FILTER SCREEN WAS COMPLETELY CLOGGED. AFTER CLEANING THE SCREEN; THE ENG RAN FINE. I TOOK OFF 2 DAYS LATER TO TEST THE ENG; AND EVERYTHING WENT FINE. I HAVE RECEIVED MIXED VIEWS ON WHETHER I RECEIVED CONTAMINATED FUEL OR IF THERE WAS A SLOW BUILDUP. I HAVE LEARNED THAT WHEN CLEANING THE SCREEN; THE TRADITIONAL METHOD OF RINSING IT WITH FUEL OR SOLVENT THEN USING AIR TO BLOW OUT THE CONTAMINATION DIDN'T DO A VERY GOOD JOB WITH SUCH A FINE SCREEN.

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