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Pilot of high performance aerobatic biplane ingests toilet paper in air intake while practicing ribbon cutting maneuver.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 113764 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198906 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : nzj airport : sna |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 4500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 24 flight time total : 950 flight time type : 225 |
| ASRS Report | 113764 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : overcame equipment problem |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
I fly a competition air show small aircraft. I was practicing a ribbon cut routine. I unfurled a roll of toilet paper at 6500' MSL (5500 AGL) and the object is to see how many times I could hit it before it fell apart. On the 6TH pass the usual streamer had degenerated into a clump-like form. I hit it and a piece jammed into my engine air intake. By now I was at 4500' MSL (3500 AGL). Full throttle netted only 110 mph (full throttle is usually 165 mph). I headed straight for sna airport. Coast approach helped me (allowed me) through the arsa, and tower cleared me to land. I did so uneventfully and pulled the toilet paper from my intake when back at the hangar. Actions or inactions: head on ribbon cuts with ram air and no alternate air caused this situation. So: a) stop doing ribbon cuts, B) or hit the ribbon with the wing, instead of with the propeller, C) don't hit clumps of toilet paper.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF HIGH PERFORMANCE AEROBATIC BIPLANE INGESTS TOILET PAPER IN AIR INTAKE WHILE PRACTICING RIBBON CUTTING MANEUVER.
Narrative: I FLY A COMPETITION AIR SHOW SMA. I WAS PRACTICING A RIBBON CUT ROUTINE. I UNFURLED A ROLL OF TOILET PAPER AT 6500' MSL (5500 AGL) AND THE OBJECT IS TO SEE HOW MANY TIMES I COULD HIT IT BEFORE IT FELL APART. ON THE 6TH PASS THE USUAL STREAMER HAD DEGENERATED INTO A CLUMP-LIKE FORM. I HIT IT AND A PIECE JAMMED INTO MY ENGINE AIR INTAKE. BY NOW I WAS AT 4500' MSL (3500 AGL). FULL THROTTLE NETTED ONLY 110 MPH (FULL THROTTLE IS USUALLY 165 MPH). I HEADED STRAIGHT FOR SNA ARPT. COAST APCH HELPED ME (ALLOWED ME) THROUGH THE ARSA, AND TWR CLRED ME TO LAND. I DID SO UNEVENTFULLY AND PULLED THE TOILET PAPER FROM MY INTAKE WHEN BACK AT THE HANGAR. ACTIONS OR INACTIONS: HEAD ON RIBBON CUTS WITH RAM AIR AND NO ALTERNATE AIR CAUSED THIS SITUATION. SO: A) STOP DOING RIBBON CUTS, B) OR HIT THE RIBBON WITH THE WING, INSTEAD OF WITH THE PROP, C) DON'T HIT CLUMPS OF TOILET PAPER.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.