REFLECTOR: Good Friday Landing

Velocity_AZ velocity_az at cox.net
Wed Apr 6 09:14:22 CDT 2005


I had the good fortune to fly with Dave B - who is a retired airline
pilot.  There's no doubt in my mind that his expertise is the reason for
no bent bones or plastic.
 
Good going Dave!
 
Kevin

-----Original Message-----
From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On
Behalf Of Chuck Jensen
Sent: Wednesday, April 06, 2005 5:01 AM
To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list
Subject: RE: REFLECTOR: Good Friday Landing


Dave,
 
Good to hear neither bones nor plastic was bent.  Near amazing the none
of the gear gave way as the drag on the gear from a plowed field would
be a bit heavy and I'm sure lead to rapid deceleration.   Know that you
are unlikely to ever stop in such a short distance again--hopefully.  I
don't know how long the field was, but nice piloting, especially since
you probably didn't have many hours in model.  
 
Good luck in getting it all back together.  We're all pleased to hear
such a good outcome from such a tenuous circumstance.
 
Chuck
 
-----Original Message-----
From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org]On
Behalf Of Dave Bertram
Sent: Tuesday, April 05, 2005 8:08 PM
To: reflector at tvbf.org
Subject: REFLECTOR: Good Friday Landing



I have delayed passing this information until I could give a reason for
my engine failure.
On Good Friday afternoon I took of from McKinney, Tx on a routine test
flight I thought.  On previous flights I had been having engine cooling
problems.  Through trial and error I have built a belly scoop which
brings air into a plenum just aft of the cowling cut line and up through
the radiator.  It seems to be the answer as my water temperature did not
exceed 210 degrees during the flight.  After about 15 minutes of flight
I began to lose power.  I was about 8-9 miles east of the airport at
3200ft. I turned toward the airport and told the tower of my problem and
received clearance direct to the airport.  The tower ask if I could make
the airport and I told I thought so and my engine quit shortly
thereafter.  I kept the plane at 95kts and turned toward a plowed field
located about a mile from TKI as this was my only option.  I lowered the
gear and made a successful landing.  My roll-out was just under 900 ft.
The only damage to the airplane was to the gear doors one of which
departed and the other was knocked loose by the dirt clods.  I was able
to get a tow truck with a tilt bed and we pulled the Velo up on it.
With the help of the airport manager we went through a back gate to the
airport so I did not have to remove the wings.  The airplane was back in
the hangar a little over two hours after I landed in the field.
 
Our conclusion is fuel starvation caused the failure.  All my EGT
readings were above 1500 degrees vs 1100-1200 normally.  I have talked
to many experts including our own Scot Baker and this is our finding.
My fuel pumps were located above the sump tank requiring the pumps to
suck uphill.  My supply line to the pumps was 3/8 pipe and I am going to
1/2 inch.  I had the old vent system with a 1/4 vent tube and no check
valve.  Will correcting these things prevent a future problem?  I will
find out.  
 
This is the first time in 45 years of flying that I landed at other than
the airport.  I plan to make it at least that long before the next time.
Dave Bertram    

			
 <http://www.incredimail.com/index.asp?id=54475>  

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