Small aircraft prescott pusher pilot lost power at 1000 ft AGL after takeoff due to fuel starvation ...

Attributes
ACN	522190
Time
Date	200108
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 200 agl bound upper : 900
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : p80.tracon
Make Model Name	Experimental
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure : vfr
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time total : 1600
ASRS Report	522190
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	maintenance : technician
Qualification	technician : powerplant technician : airframe
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : engine power other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

In apr/xa/00, I purchased an experimental prescott pusher. There were small fuel leaks in the left wing area. I hired mr X, of company X, to repair the leaks. They worked on my aircraft from apr 2000 to apr 2001. They gave evidence that the leaks were fixed and signed off my logbook that the aircraft had been inspected and eligible for servicing as an experimental aircraft. In july, I discovered the leak was more severe. I contacted company Y, ZZZ, us, who agreed to repair the tanks. I filled both tanks with 29.23 gals on jul/sat/01. I flew about .5 hours on jul/sun/01. The flight was prematurely terminated due to a faulty oil pressure gauge. My appointment to take this aircraft to ZZZ was for aug/tue/01. Since they were going to work on the tank, I wanted to burn off as much fuel as possible. The fuel gauge which company X ok'd read 3/4 full. I assumed I had enough fuel for a half hour flight. I took off at approximately XA10, climbed to 1000 ft when the engine sputtered. I set up the best rate of glide with flaps and landing gear down. The aircraft stabilized at 80 mph indicated. I attempted to restart on the left tank first. At about 300 ft, I switched to the right tank, turned on the fuel pump and the engine started up. I am assuming I was 200 ft off the ground when this happened. I resumed my flight to ZZZ. I am submitting this report because the pattern altitude around vancouver (vuo) is 1200 ft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PRESCOTT PUSHER PLT LOST PWR AT 1000 FT AGL AFTER TKOF DUE TO FUEL STARVATION AND SET UP FOR AN EMER FORCED LNDG. THE ENG WAS SUCCESSFULLY RESTARTED 200 FT AGL RESULTING IN THE PLT CONTINUING ON TO HIS DEST ARPT.

Narrative: IN APR/XA/00, I PURCHASED AN EXPERIMENTAL PRESCOTT PUSHER. THERE WERE SMALL FUEL LEAKS IN THE L WING AREA. I HIRED MR X, OF COMPANY X, TO REPAIR THE LEAKS. THEY WORKED ON MY ACFT FROM APR 2000 TO APR 2001. THEY GAVE EVIDENCE THAT THE LEAKS WERE FIXED AND SIGNED OFF MY LOGBOOK THAT THE ACFT HAD BEEN INSPECTED AND ELIGIBLE FOR SVCING AS AN EXPERIMENTAL ACFT. IN JULY, I DISCOVERED THE LEAK WAS MORE SEVERE. I CONTACTED COMPANY Y, ZZZ, US, WHO AGREED TO REPAIR THE TANKS. I FILLED BOTH TANKS WITH 29.23 GALS ON JUL/SAT/01. I FLEW ABOUT .5 HRS ON JUL/SUN/01. THE FLT WAS PREMATURELY TERMINATED DUE TO A FAULTY OIL PRESSURE GAUGE. MY APPOINTMENT TO TAKE THIS ACFT TO ZZZ WAS FOR AUG/TUE/01. SINCE THEY WERE GOING TO WORK ON THE TANK, I WANTED TO BURN OFF AS MUCH FUEL AS POSSIBLE. THE FUEL GAUGE WHICH COMPANY X OK'D READ 3/4 FULL. I ASSUMED I HAD ENOUGH FUEL FOR A HALF HR FLT. I TOOK OFF AT APPROX XA10, CLBED TO 1000 FT WHEN THE ENG SPUTTERED. I SET UP THE BEST RATE OF GLIDE WITH FLAPS AND LNDG GEAR DOWN. THE ACFT STABILIZED AT 80 MPH INDICATED. I ATTEMPTED TO RESTART ON THE L TANK FIRST. AT ABOUT 300 FT, I SWITCHED TO THE R TANK, TURNED ON THE FUEL PUMP AND THE ENG STARTED UP. I AM ASSUMING I WAS 200 FT OFF THE GND WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I RESUMED MY FLT TO ZZZ. I AM SUBMITTING THIS RPT BECAUSE THE PATTERN ALT AROUND VANCOUVER (VUO) IS 1200 FT.

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.

Small aircraft prescott pusher pilot lost power at 1000 ft AGL after takeoff due to fuel starvation and set up for an emergency forced landing. The engine was successfully restarted 200 ft AGL resulting in the pilot continuing on to his destination airport.