REFLECTOR: Good Friday Landing

[Chuck Jensen]

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    

			
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