Narrative:

We were departing runway 31 in a normal manner with 37 inches manifold pressure and 2700 RPM. When we reached about 40 ft AGL and near the departure end of the runway, the engine started losing power. The power loss was sufficient to make it impossible to maintain altitude. We immediately initiated a turn to runway 8. As we neared the end of runway 8 we did not have sufficient ground clearance to complete the turn to runway 8 and, as a result, made the landing off the runway with minor damage to the aircraft. Upon coming to a stop, the engine was still running, so we taxied onto the runway and stopped the engine. Shortly thereafter, the engine was restarted and the aircraft was taxied to the parking area and tied down. The next day, the aircraft was inspected by a mechanic. During this inspection a normal run-up and maximum power test was performed. The run-up was normal and the engine developed full power. Magneto timing was within tolerance and compression was high in all cylinders. No obvious reason for the loss of power was discovered. The only fault found in the aircraft was several small nicks in the upper o-ring seal in the fuel strainer and an indication of some fuel seepage. There was no indication of an accumulation of fuel. The strainer had been svced by an FBO within the previous 30 hours. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: aircraft has a model 'xa' engine. Reporter says this engine has the same fuel pump as the model 'ya' engine involved in report acn 220934. Reporter is mechanical engineer and is convinced that the fuel pump is at fault. Fuel pump was replaced following forced landing and engine now runs better than ever. He thinks both the idle and power relief valves have chronic problems. He has also heard of engines failing after landing because of fuel pump problem. He did have the old pump tested but nothing definite was found. He was flying with a friend who has a CFI-a. Damage to aircraft cost only 90 dollars to repair. He will try to call the FAA direct and give them all the information on this incident that he can.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ENG FAILURE IN TFC PATTERN CAUSES OFF RWY FORCED LNDG.

Narrative: WE WERE DEPARTING RWY 31 IN A NORMAL MANNER WITH 37 INCHES MANIFOLD PRESSURE AND 2700 RPM. WHEN WE REACHED ABOUT 40 FT AGL AND NEAR THE DEP END OF THE RWY, THE ENG STARTED LOSING PWR. THE PWR LOSS WAS SUFFICIENT TO MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN ALT. WE IMMEDIATELY INITIATED A TURN TO RWY 8. AS WE NEARED THE END OF RWY 8 WE DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT GND CLRNC TO COMPLETE THE TURN TO RWY 8 AND, AS A RESULT, MADE THE LNDG OFF THE RWY WITH MINOR DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. UPON COMING TO A STOP, THE ENG WAS STILL RUNNING, SO WE TAXIED ONTO THE RWY AND STOPPED THE ENG. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE ENG WAS RESTARTED AND THE ACFT WAS TAXIED TO THE PARKING AREA AND TIED DOWN. THE NEXT DAY, THE ACFT WAS INSPECTED BY A MECH. DURING THIS INSPECTION A NORMAL RUN-UP AND MAX PWR TEST WAS PERFORMED. THE RUN-UP WAS NORMAL AND THE ENG DEVELOPED FULL PWR. MAGNETO TIMING WAS WITHIN TOLERANCE AND COMPRESSION WAS HIGH IN ALL CYLINDERS. NO OBVIOUS REASON FOR THE LOSS OF PWR WAS DISCOVERED. THE ONLY FAULT FOUND IN THE ACFT WAS SEVERAL SMALL NICKS IN THE UPPER O-RING SEAL IN THE FUEL STRAINER AND AN INDICATION OF SOME FUEL SEEPAGE. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF AN ACCUMULATION OF FUEL. THE STRAINER HAD BEEN SVCED BY AN FBO WITHIN THE PREVIOUS 30 HRS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: ACFT HAS A MODEL 'XA' ENG. RPTR SAYS THIS ENG HAS THE SAME FUEL PUMP AS THE MODEL 'YA' ENG INVOLVED IN RPT ACN 220934. RPTR IS MECHANICAL ENGINEER AND IS CONVINCED THAT THE FUEL PUMP IS AT FAULT. FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED FOLLOWING FORCED LNDG AND ENG NOW RUNS BETTER THAN EVER. HE THINKS BOTH THE IDLE AND PWR RELIEF VALVES HAVE CHRONIC PROBLEMS. HE HAS ALSO HEARD OF ENGS FAILING AFTER LNDG BECAUSE OF FUEL PUMP PROBLEM. HE DID HAVE THE OLD PUMP TESTED BUT NOTHING DEFINITE WAS FOUND. HE WAS FLYING WITH A FRIEND WHO HAS A CFI-A. DAMAGE TO ACFT COST ONLY 90 DOLLARS TO REPAIR. HE WILL TRY TO CALL THE FAA DIRECT AND GIVE THEM ALL THE INFO ON THIS INCIDENT THAT HE CAN.

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.