<< >> NASA ASRS Report 477669, July 2000

A C150 on approach to fxe at 900 ft declares an emergency and makes an off field landing due to loss of power caused by fuel contamination.

Attributes
ACN	477669
Time
Date	200007
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fxe.airport
Altitude	agl single value : 900
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Rain
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 150
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	ils localizer only : 08
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : charted visual
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 1600 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	477669
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Airport Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Airport

Narrative:

On localizer approach to fxe 7 mi out over praiz, went through heavy rain. After emerging and given tower visibility, check engine started sputtering. I immediately turned 180 degrees back toward very large field which would serve as a good strip, then went through emergency procedure. After carburetor heat on for a bit, engine started to come back, but unsure of problem and down in fuel quantity. Upon draining fuel for road transport, I got around 6 gallons out. Transported in to fxe via police escort. The last week I was complaining about contamination and smell of bct fuel, even sumped truck myself, and that day for first time got solids in samples along with oxygen from 24.4 gallons purchased that day twice in bct. So maybe contamination in last few gallons (bottom) or carburetor ice from extra moisture or angle of plane with 2.5 usable left. Plane ran ok after refueling in fxe.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C150 ON APCH TO FXE AT 900 FT DECLARES AN EMER AND MAKES AN OFF FIELD LNDG DUE TO LOSS OF PWR CAUSED BY FUEL CONTAMINATION.

Narrative: ON LOC APCH TO FXE 7 MI OUT OVER PRAIZ, WENT THROUGH HVY RAIN. AFTER EMERGING AND GIVEN TWR VISIBILITY, CHK ENG STARTED SPUTTERING. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED 180 DEGS BACK TOWARD VERY LARGE FIELD WHICH WOULD SERVE AS A GOOD STRIP, THEN WENT THROUGH EMER PROC. AFTER CARB HEAT ON FOR A BIT, ENG STARTED TO COME BACK, BUT UNSURE OF PROB AND DOWN IN FUEL QUANTITY. UPON DRAINING FUEL FOR ROAD TRANSPORT, I GOT AROUND 6 GALLONS OUT. TRANSPORTED IN TO FXE VIA POLICE ESCORT. THE LAST WK I WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT CONTAMINATION AND SMELL OF BCT FUEL, EVEN SUMPED TRUCK MYSELF, AND THAT DAY FOR FIRST TIME GOT SOLIDS IN SAMPLES ALONG WITH OXYGEN FROM 24.4 GALLONS PURCHASED THAT DAY TWICE IN BCT. SO MAYBE CONTAMINATION IN LAST FEW GALLONS (BOTTOM) OR CARB ICE FROM EXTRA MOISTURE OR ANGLE OF PLANE WITH 2.5 USABLE LEFT. PLANE RAN OK AFTER REFUELING IN FXE.

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.