Narrative:

During a VFR departure from st paul runway 30, I was issued a left-hand turnout. At about 400' AGL I started my left turn and requested a frequency change to minneapolis approach which was approved by st paul tower. My position was just south of the river. My intent was to fly a tight downwind, contact approach, and depart southeast to intercept victor 218 and fly direct to dubuque. As I started my left turn, the aircraft engine quit. I established best glide speed and quickly evaluated the area for an emergency landing if necessary. I could not clear buildings to my left so I elected to use the south edge of the river. I performed my checklist and found the mixture out. It was not a vernier mixture control and the friction lock was installed improperly. When I established positive rate of climb, I started trying to contact minneapolis approach. I did not have enough altitude for safe obstacle clearance so I climbed over the edge of the river to 1800' and turned south. Due to frequency congestion on the 3RD attempt I established communications with minneapolis approach and received a transponder code and positive radar identification. The controller informed me that I was in the TCA and directed me left to 909. I complied and exited the TCA. He cleared me to a southeast heading and climb to requested altitude of 5500' when it was appropriate. I continued the departure with no further incident. I did not declare an emergency. I was taught that the initial action is to establish best glide speed and perform the checklist: fuel selector -- booster pump if applicable, master, mags, mixture, and look for a place to land if necessary. If the engine does not restart you then have an actual emergency and notify the appropriate center. Further explanations to the controller after I contacted him were inappropriate due to frequency congestion. I firmly feel that unnecessary communications are a compromise in safety to all aircraft operating in a congested area. After considerable reflection on the incident I have reached 2 conclusions: 1) a right-hand departure from runway 30 at st paul-holman field will allow more clearance between departing aircraft and the lower portion of the TCA, and it presents a few more options in the event of a power failure. The only possible conflict I can envision would be occasional seaplane operations east of the field. The tower can deal with this safely and effectively. Also, if the PIC is not comfortable with a clearance, he should politely request another option. It has been my experience that if at all possible, ATC will work with you. I should have requested a right turn on departure. Changes are I would have received it. St paul tower may wish to consider this in the future. 2) when first flying an unfamiliar airplane, look at everything, especially controls for propeller, power, mixture, carburetor heat, etc. It is the responsibility of the PIC to know the aircraft and its idiosyncrasies, even on a first flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA SINGLE LOSES ENGINE SHORTLY AFTER TKOF, TURNS TOWARD BEST FORCED LNDG AREA, BUT IS ABLE TO RESTART AND THEN PENETRATES ADJACENT TCA BOUNDARY.

Narrative: DURING A VFR DEP FROM ST PAUL RWY 30, I WAS ISSUED A LEFT-HAND TURNOUT. AT ABOUT 400' AGL I STARTED MY LEFT TURN AND REQUESTED A FREQ CHANGE TO MINNEAPOLIS APCH WHICH WAS APPROVED BY ST PAUL TWR. MY POSITION WAS JUST S OF THE RIVER. MY INTENT WAS TO FLY A TIGHT DOWNWIND, CONTACT APCH, AND DEPART SE TO INTERCEPT VICTOR 218 AND FLY DIRECT TO DUBUQUE. AS I STARTED MY LEFT TURN, THE ACFT ENGINE QUIT. I ESTABLISHED BEST GLIDE SPEED AND QUICKLY EVALUATED THE AREA FOR AN EMER LNDG IF NECESSARY. I COULD NOT CLEAR BUILDINGS TO MY LEFT SO I ELECTED TO USE THE S EDGE OF THE RIVER. I PERFORMED MY CHECKLIST AND FOUND THE MIXTURE OUT. IT WAS NOT A VERNIER MIXTURE CONTROL AND THE FRICTION LOCK WAS INSTALLED IMPROPERLY. WHEN I ESTABLISHED POSITIVE RATE OF CLIMB, I STARTED TRYING TO CONTACT MINNEAPOLIS APCH. I DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH ALT FOR SAFE OBSTACLE CLRNC SO I CLIMBED OVER THE EDGE OF THE RIVER TO 1800' AND TURNED S. DUE TO FREQ CONGESTION ON THE 3RD ATTEMPT I ESTABLISHED COMS WITH MINNEAPOLIS APCH AND RECEIVED A XPONDER CODE AND POSITIVE RADAR IDENTIFICATION. THE CTLR INFORMED ME THAT I WAS IN THE TCA AND DIRECTED ME LEFT TO 909. I COMPLIED AND EXITED THE TCA. HE CLRED ME TO A SE HDG AND CLIMB TO REQUESTED ALT OF 5500' WHEN IT WAS APPROPRIATE. I CONTINUED THE DEP WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT. I DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER. I WAS TAUGHT THAT THE INITIAL ACTION IS TO ESTABLISH BEST GLIDE SPEED AND PERFORM THE CHECKLIST: FUEL SELECTOR -- BOOSTER PUMP IF APPLICABLE, MASTER, MAGS, MIXTURE, AND LOOK FOR A PLACE TO LAND IF NECESSARY. IF THE ENGINE DOES NOT RESTART YOU THEN HAVE AN ACTUAL EMER AND NOTIFY THE APPROPRIATE CENTER. FURTHER EXPLANATIONS TO THE CTLR AFTER I CONTACTED HIM WERE INAPPROPRIATE DUE TO FREQ CONGESTION. I FIRMLY FEEL THAT UNNECESSARY COMS ARE A COMPROMISE IN SAFETY TO ALL ACFT OPERATING IN A CONGESTED AREA. AFTER CONSIDERABLE REFLECTION ON THE INCIDENT I HAVE REACHED 2 CONCLUSIONS: 1) A RIGHT-HAND DEP FROM RWY 30 AT ST PAUL-HOLMAN FIELD WILL ALLOW MORE CLRNC BETWEEN DEPARTING ACFT AND THE LOWER PORTION OF THE TCA, AND IT PRESENTS A FEW MORE OPTIONS IN THE EVENT OF A POWER FAILURE. THE ONLY POSSIBLE CONFLICT I CAN ENVISION WOULD BE OCCASIONAL SEAPLANE OPERATIONS E OF THE FIELD. THE TWR CAN DEAL WITH THIS SAFELY AND EFFECTIVELY. ALSO, IF THE PIC IS NOT COMFORTABLE WITH A CLRNC, HE SHOULD POLITELY REQUEST ANOTHER OPTION. IT HAS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE THAT IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, ATC WILL WORK WITH YOU. I SHOULD HAVE REQUESTED A RIGHT TURN ON DEP. CHANGES ARE I WOULD HAVE RECEIVED IT. ST PAUL TWR MAY WISH TO CONSIDER THIS IN THE FUTURE. 2) WHEN FIRST FLYING AN UNFAMILIAR AIRPLANE, LOOK AT EVERYTHING, ESPECIALLY CONTROLS FOR PROPELLER, POWER, MIXTURE, CARBURETOR HEAT, ETC. IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PIC TO KNOW THE ACFT AND ITS IDIOSYNCRASIES, EVEN ON A FIRST FLT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.