Nick
Well Known Member
Today I got lucky, real lucky.
3 Months ago to the day our RV-10 was signed off from a Kit to an Airplane, today it experienced its first and hopefully last engine failure. With 58 hours on the Hobbs she had until this point been the best 4 place airplane I?ve ever flown.
I had flown some friends from Pearland TX over to Victoria so they could pick up their motor home. A very non-eventful flight, a little bumpy VFR down at 2000 AGL, but an overcast layer prevented any higher. Once there I decided that I would file IFR for the flight back, get on top and enjoy some tailwinds.
I left Victoria, climbed to 7000 and enjoyed some much needed sunlight. Houston Center was their normal cheerful self; all in all, life was good. I was cleared down to 4000, as luck would have the Overcast layer had also dropped a few thousand feet so I remained on Top? wow so nice, still don?t have to be in the clunk! Center switched me to Approach, we agreed upon the GPS approach back to Pearland, and I was cleared to the IAF. Up until this point everything was absolutely great!
I started my decent out of 4, down to 3000 going direct the IAF? At 3400 ft, that?s when the adrenalin started pumping. Now I?ll be honest, I don?t? know if I heard the prop fluctuate or not, but something got my attention. I did a quick engine check and saw that EGT?s where high? very very high. I knew immediately I had a problem, but I had no idea just how bad the problem was. Training kicked in and Mixture to rich, boost pump on, tank switch. The EGT?s came down, but they didn?t stop coming down. When I saw them drop below 200 or so, and I was getting no reaction what-so-ever from the throttle? Well, Houston We Have A Problem.
I declared the Emergency? If you ever want to hear a frequency go totally quiet, just use those words. Informed Approach of a total power failure and requested vectors to the nearest airport. Houston Approach was for the most part absolutely wonderful. Without missing a beat they informed me that Brazoria was 7?Oclock and 5 miles. I IMMEDIATELY started the turn and realized that with my now wonderful tailwind turned headwind, there was no way I was going to make it.
Let me back up just a bit? All this is happing IMC. I entered the overcast layer at about 3800 FT, bases are reported anywhere between 1000-1500 depending on which ASOS you listen to.
Continuing on?. Not going to make Brazoria, I know I have to do something. Glancing at my EFIS Map I see that ? a mile away is a private strip that Center probably didn?t even know existed. I turn directly at that airport (7R9), informed Approach where I was going, then I waited, and waited, and waited?. Not much else I could think to do at the time. Still IMC. Engine Out. I didn?t really think I?d be in this situation, ever.
? mile from the airport, at 1300 ft I break out. Guys & Gals, I haven?t been so happy to see a perfectly mowed grass strip in my life! A quick turn away to burn Airspeed and Altitude, slip to final, and down we come. The landing went perfect, it was downwind. I didn?t care, the airplane didn?t care. The prop finally quit windmilling in the flair, telling me that it really was dead, as if I didn?t know.
I managed to get us (me and the plane) on the ground, unhurt, out of that situation. Is it all skill, well I?d like to think so? but I know better! I got lucky, very lucky.
What went wrong? The short version: a fuel line broke.
The long version: During final assembly it came to my attention that people with the Fuel Flow transducer in the ?Tunnel? where experiencing FF fluctuation when using the electric pump. The fix? Move the FF Transducer to between the Fuel Injection Servo and the Spider. Well, that?s what I did. When I relocated the Transducer I had to fabricate a line between the Servo and the Transducer. The line I fabricated was ? inch aluminum, that was the flaw. That line broke just outside the fitting. When I made that line I made sure it wasn?t under any stress, in a natural position, etc. Apparently that was not enough. Now, I will say this. This was the one component of the airplane I was never quite happy with. It just ?didn?t look right?. I had some other builders take a look, half heartedly hoping they would tell me that aluminum was bad and I should change it, but no one did. So it stayed, and worked fine for 58 hours.
I blame no one but myself for what happened. A part of me knew that that line wasn?t right, yet I talked myself into believing it was fine. Don?t ever short change your gut? most of the time its got good instincts!
She?s now grounded, awaiting Stainless Tubing so I can make the fuel like the way I originally envisioned. Parts should be here next week, and the adventure will continue.
Now comes the part where I?d like to thank the people that helped me stay alive today!
First my Father, Kirk. You see, I started flying Ultralights at 14, and it was he who preached at me to practice engine outs. They where 2 strokes, and it wasn?t ?if? they would quit, it was ?when?. I never lost an engine flying Ultralights, but I sure practiced.
My Flight Instructors. All you guys (and there has been a few..) who would randomly pull power, then say ?Now what??
Rob Hickman and the entire crew at Advanced Flight Systems. Without those awesome EFIS?s (and I really do mean awesome) I probably would have never known that the airport I landed at was there. It didn?t show up on the 430, Approach didn?t know, and I was stuck IMC. And the data logging.. wow. I poured over every second of that flight to find out when exactly I converted from ASEL to Glider? Having that data is invaluable.
John Cram (build partner) and Rick Carr for selfless gathering their own tools and driving to my rescue. With their help we where able to fabricate a new fuel line ferry the airplane the 22 miles home.
The entire group of local airport bums that showed up to offer a helping hand. I only wish I could remember each and everyone?s name, but that is not my strong suit. I owe all of you at least a beer!
Last but not least? Brazoria County Constables and Sheriff?s (no less than 5) who showed up, lights and sirens agoin, to come to my rescue. Thankfully I didn?t need it, but it sure is nice to know that help is on the way.
In case anyone wants to know how fast this happens. Total time from Me turning on the Fuel Pump to wheels on the ground: 2 Minutes 46 seconds.
3 Months ago to the day our RV-10 was signed off from a Kit to an Airplane, today it experienced its first and hopefully last engine failure. With 58 hours on the Hobbs she had until this point been the best 4 place airplane I?ve ever flown.
I had flown some friends from Pearland TX over to Victoria so they could pick up their motor home. A very non-eventful flight, a little bumpy VFR down at 2000 AGL, but an overcast layer prevented any higher. Once there I decided that I would file IFR for the flight back, get on top and enjoy some tailwinds.
I left Victoria, climbed to 7000 and enjoyed some much needed sunlight. Houston Center was their normal cheerful self; all in all, life was good. I was cleared down to 4000, as luck would have the Overcast layer had also dropped a few thousand feet so I remained on Top? wow so nice, still don?t have to be in the clunk! Center switched me to Approach, we agreed upon the GPS approach back to Pearland, and I was cleared to the IAF. Up until this point everything was absolutely great!
I started my decent out of 4, down to 3000 going direct the IAF? At 3400 ft, that?s when the adrenalin started pumping. Now I?ll be honest, I don?t? know if I heard the prop fluctuate or not, but something got my attention. I did a quick engine check and saw that EGT?s where high? very very high. I knew immediately I had a problem, but I had no idea just how bad the problem was. Training kicked in and Mixture to rich, boost pump on, tank switch. The EGT?s came down, but they didn?t stop coming down. When I saw them drop below 200 or so, and I was getting no reaction what-so-ever from the throttle? Well, Houston We Have A Problem.
I declared the Emergency? If you ever want to hear a frequency go totally quiet, just use those words. Informed Approach of a total power failure and requested vectors to the nearest airport. Houston Approach was for the most part absolutely wonderful. Without missing a beat they informed me that Brazoria was 7?Oclock and 5 miles. I IMMEDIATELY started the turn and realized that with my now wonderful tailwind turned headwind, there was no way I was going to make it.
Let me back up just a bit? All this is happing IMC. I entered the overcast layer at about 3800 FT, bases are reported anywhere between 1000-1500 depending on which ASOS you listen to.
Continuing on?. Not going to make Brazoria, I know I have to do something. Glancing at my EFIS Map I see that ? a mile away is a private strip that Center probably didn?t even know existed. I turn directly at that airport (7R9), informed Approach where I was going, then I waited, and waited, and waited?. Not much else I could think to do at the time. Still IMC. Engine Out. I didn?t really think I?d be in this situation, ever.
? mile from the airport, at 1300 ft I break out. Guys & Gals, I haven?t been so happy to see a perfectly mowed grass strip in my life! A quick turn away to burn Airspeed and Altitude, slip to final, and down we come. The landing went perfect, it was downwind. I didn?t care, the airplane didn?t care. The prop finally quit windmilling in the flair, telling me that it really was dead, as if I didn?t know.
I managed to get us (me and the plane) on the ground, unhurt, out of that situation. Is it all skill, well I?d like to think so? but I know better! I got lucky, very lucky.
What went wrong? The short version: a fuel line broke.
The long version: During final assembly it came to my attention that people with the Fuel Flow transducer in the ?Tunnel? where experiencing FF fluctuation when using the electric pump. The fix? Move the FF Transducer to between the Fuel Injection Servo and the Spider. Well, that?s what I did. When I relocated the Transducer I had to fabricate a line between the Servo and the Transducer. The line I fabricated was ? inch aluminum, that was the flaw. That line broke just outside the fitting. When I made that line I made sure it wasn?t under any stress, in a natural position, etc. Apparently that was not enough. Now, I will say this. This was the one component of the airplane I was never quite happy with. It just ?didn?t look right?. I had some other builders take a look, half heartedly hoping they would tell me that aluminum was bad and I should change it, but no one did. So it stayed, and worked fine for 58 hours.
I blame no one but myself for what happened. A part of me knew that that line wasn?t right, yet I talked myself into believing it was fine. Don?t ever short change your gut? most of the time its got good instincts!
She?s now grounded, awaiting Stainless Tubing so I can make the fuel like the way I originally envisioned. Parts should be here next week, and the adventure will continue.
Now comes the part where I?d like to thank the people that helped me stay alive today!
First my Father, Kirk. You see, I started flying Ultralights at 14, and it was he who preached at me to practice engine outs. They where 2 strokes, and it wasn?t ?if? they would quit, it was ?when?. I never lost an engine flying Ultralights, but I sure practiced.
My Flight Instructors. All you guys (and there has been a few..) who would randomly pull power, then say ?Now what??
Rob Hickman and the entire crew at Advanced Flight Systems. Without those awesome EFIS?s (and I really do mean awesome) I probably would have never known that the airport I landed at was there. It didn?t show up on the 430, Approach didn?t know, and I was stuck IMC. And the data logging.. wow. I poured over every second of that flight to find out when exactly I converted from ASEL to Glider? Having that data is invaluable.
John Cram (build partner) and Rick Carr for selfless gathering their own tools and driving to my rescue. With their help we where able to fabricate a new fuel line ferry the airplane the 22 miles home.
The entire group of local airport bums that showed up to offer a helping hand. I only wish I could remember each and everyone?s name, but that is not my strong suit. I owe all of you at least a beer!
Last but not least? Brazoria County Constables and Sheriff?s (no less than 5) who showed up, lights and sirens agoin, to come to my rescue. Thankfully I didn?t need it, but it sure is nice to know that help is on the way.
In case anyone wants to know how fast this happens. Total time from Me turning on the Fuel Pump to wheels on the ground: 2 Minutes 46 seconds.