Engine failure after takeoff.

Attributes
ACN	145419
Time
Date	199005
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : q82
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 300 agl bound upper : 300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lvk
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 2
ASRS Report	145419
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Following a normal preflight and engine run we made a north departure from alpine county airport, ca. At approximately 300' AGL (6000' MSL) engine failure occurred. Attempts to restart were unsuccessful and a left descending turn was started down the mountain slope with the thought in mind of ditching in the indian creek reservoir located 3/4 mi west of the airport. Once the clearing was reached, we realized the reservoir was dry and an uneventful landing was made on the relatively flat lake bed. The following day the aircraft was removed from the lake bed towed via an adjacent roadway back to the airport. A licensed a&P from minden, nv inspected the aircraft and found the main fuel line connector to the fuel injection box on top of the engine to be loose. With fuel pressure available, the fitting leaked to the extent that fuel could not reach the injectors at each cylinder. A top overhaul had been accomplished by repair facility 35 hours prior to this incident. 3 of the 4 owners of the aircraft had made flts in the aft during this interval west/O incident. Repair facility agreed to pay expenses for towing and repairs. It should be noted that the fuel fitting involved is located in an obscure area for normal preflight inspection.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ENGINE FAILURE AFTER TKOF.

Narrative: FOLLOWING A NORMAL PREFLT AND ENG RUN WE MADE A N DEP FROM ALPINE COUNTY ARPT, CA. AT APPROX 300' AGL (6000' MSL) ENG FAILURE OCCURRED. ATTEMPTS TO RESTART WERE UNSUCCESSFUL AND A LEFT DSNDING TURN WAS STARTED DOWN THE MOUNTAIN SLOPE WITH THE THOUGHT IN MIND OF DITCHING IN THE INDIAN CREEK RESERVOIR LOCATED 3/4 MI W OF THE ARPT. ONCE THE CLEARING WAS REACHED, WE REALIZED THE RESERVOIR WAS DRY AND AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG WAS MADE ON THE RELATIVELY FLAT LAKE BED. THE FOLLOWING DAY THE ACFT WAS REMOVED FROM THE LAKE BED TOWED VIA AN ADJACENT ROADWAY BACK TO THE ARPT. A LICENSED A&P FROM MINDEN, NV INSPECTED THE ACFT AND FOUND THE MAIN FUEL LINE CONNECTOR TO THE FUEL INJECTION BOX ON TOP OF THE ENG TO BE LOOSE. WITH FUEL PRESSURE AVAILABLE, THE FITTING LEAKED TO THE EXTENT THAT FUEL COULD NOT REACH THE INJECTORS AT EACH CYLINDER. A TOP OVERHAUL HAD BEEN ACCOMPLISHED BY REPAIR FAC 35 HRS PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. 3 OF THE 4 OWNERS OF THE ACFT HAD MADE FLTS IN THE AFT DURING THIS INTERVAL W/O INCIDENT. REPAIR FAC AGREED TO PAY EXPENSES FOR TOWING AND REPAIRS. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE FUEL FITTING INVOLVED IS LOCATED IN AN OBSCURE AREA FOR NORMAL PREFLT INSPECTION.

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.