<< >> NASA ASRS Report 121395, August 1989

Pilot of light aircraft mismanages engine controls and induces an engine failure while downwind in traffic pattern, declares emergency and lands.

Attributes
ACN	121395
Time
Date	198908
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hgr
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : hgr
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 4 flight time total : 640 flight time type : 366
ASRS Report	121395
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The problem arose from a touch and go after leveling at pattern altitude, 1500' and after trimming for simulated cruise. I usually do this to ensure all prelndg procedures are augmented. I reduced power, RPM and leaned the mixture. There was an immediate power loss and without hesitation I announced the emergency and simultaneously made a descending left turn to land downwind on runway 9. I pushed power full on with no change in power loss and then switched fuel tanks. On the previous touch and go, I had appraised the fact that the left tank contained 25 gals and the right approximately 10. Since I had not finished the simulated cruise adjustments, the fuel pump was still on, and since changing tanks is part of the prelndg procedures, the switch was still on the right tank. I pushed RPM full on and mixture rich and realized my problem. However, I was mentally and physically committed to landing, and did so uneventfully.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF LIGHT ACFT MISMANAGES ENGINE CONTROLS AND INDUCES AN ENGINE FAILURE WHILE DOWNWIND IN TRAFFIC PATTERN, DECLARES EMERGENCY AND LANDS.

Narrative: THE PROBLEM AROSE FROM A TOUCH AND GO AFTER LEVELING AT PATTERN ALT, 1500' AND AFTER TRIMMING FOR SIMULATED CRUISE. I USUALLY DO THIS TO ENSURE ALL PRELNDG PROCS ARE AUGMENTED. I REDUCED POWER, RPM AND LEANED THE MIXTURE. THERE WAS AN IMMEDIATE POWER LOSS AND WITHOUT HESITATION I ANNOUNCED THE EMER AND SIMULTANEOUSLY MADE A DESCENDING LEFT TURN TO LAND DOWNWIND ON RWY 9. I PUSHED POWER FULL ON WITH NO CHANGE IN POWER LOSS AND THEN SWITCHED FUEL TANKS. ON THE PREVIOUS TOUCH AND GO, I HAD APPRAISED THE FACT THAT THE LEFT TANK CONTAINED 25 GALS AND THE RIGHT APPROX 10. SINCE I HAD NOT FINISHED THE SIMULATED CRUISE ADJUSTMENTS, THE FUEL PUMP WAS STILL ON, AND SINCE CHANGING TANKS IS PART OF THE PRELNDG PROCS, THE SWITCH WAS STILL ON THE RIGHT TANK. I PUSHED RPM FULL ON AND MIXTURE RICH AND REALIZED MY PROBLEM. HOWEVER, I WAS MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY COMMITTED TO LNDG, AND DID SO UNEVENTFULLY.

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.