<< >> NASA ASRS Report 516254, June 2001

A pitts biplane in cruise at 3000 ft incurred loss of engine power and landed off field. Caused by plugged fuel injectors.

Attributes
ACN	516254
Time
Date	200106
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	OK
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	S-1 All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 2000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	516254
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : engine indications other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

While flying my pitts on the way back home the engine began to run rough. I then executed a 180 degree turn back to sallisaw airport. The engine condition worsened and I elect to not endanger people on the ground in the city of sallisaw (because the airport is on the far side of town.) therefore, I landed dead stuck onto highway 59 in oklahoma. No damage was done to the airplane or any property on persons. Disengaged the airplane and trucked it home about 20 miles. On inspection I found remains of an insects body in the screen for the fuel system and very small particles in the fuel injection nozzle which caused the engine trouble. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the airplane has a shaw aeronautical expander fuel cap which had corrosion on the lower tank side surface dropping cadmium plating into the tank. The reporter said the plating passed through the fine .025 inch metal fuel screen and plugged the injectors. The reporter stated his is an isolated case as all acrobatic airplanes use paper fuel filter and had this engine been converted this incident would not have happened. The reporter said the switch over to the paper filter was put off, but has now been accomplished. The reporter stated the first findings that bugs or insects caused the loss of power was in error.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PITTS BIPLANE IN CRUISE AT 3000 FT INCURRED LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND LANDED OFF FIELD. CAUSED BY PLUGGED FUEL INJECTORS.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING MY PITTS ON THE WAY BACK HOME THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. I THEN EXECUTED A 180 DEG TURN BACK TO SALLISAW ARPT. THE ENGINE CONDITION WORSENED AND I ELECT TO NOT ENDANGER PEOPLE ON THE GND IN THE CITY OF SALLISAW (BECAUSE THE ARPT IS ON THE FAR SIDE OF TOWN.) THEREFORE, I LANDED DEAD STUCK ONTO HWY 59 IN OKLAHOMA. NO DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE AIRPLANE OR ANY PROPERTY ON PERSONS. DISENGAGED THE AIRPLANE AND TRUCKED IT HOME ABOUT 20 MILES. ON INSPECTION I FOUND REMAINS OF AN INSECTS BODY IN THE SCREEN FOR THE FUEL SYSTEM AND VERY SMALL PARTICLES IN THE FUEL INJECTION NOZZLE WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TROUBLE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE AIRPLANE HAS A SHAW AERO EXPANDER FUEL CAP WHICH HAD CORROSION ON THE LOWER TANK SIDE SURFACE DROPPING CADMIUM PLATING INTO THE TANK. THE RPTR SAID THE PLATING PASSED THROUGH THE FINE .025 INCH METAL FUEL SCREEN AND PLUGGED THE INJECTORS. THE RPTR STATED HIS IS AN ISOLATED CASE AS ALL ACROBATIC AIRPLANES USE PAPER FUEL FILTER AND HAD THIS ENGINE BEEN CONVERTED THIS INCIDENT WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. THE RPTR SAID THE SWITCH OVER TO THE PAPER FILTER WAS PUT OFF, BUT HAS NOW BEEN ACCOMPLISHED. THE RPTR STATED THE FIRST FINDINGS THAT BUGS OR INSECTS CAUSED THE LOSS OF POWER WAS IN ERROR.

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.