37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Attributes | |
ACN | 553131 |
Time | |
Date | 200207 |
Day | Mon |
Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
Place | |
Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
State Reference | US |
Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
Environment | |
Light | Daylight |
Aircraft 1 | |
Operator | general aviation : personal |
Make Model Name | Commander 560 |
Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
Flight Phase | landing : roll |
Flight Plan | VFR |
Person 1 | |
Affiliation | other |
Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
ASRS Report | 553131 |
Person 2 | |
Affiliation | government : faa |
Function | controller : approach |
Events | |
Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other spatial deviation |
Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition |
Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other |
Supplementary | |
Problem Areas | Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance |
Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Jul/mon/02, I departed ZZZ1 at approximately XA20 for a photo flight. After my preflight inspection, I determined I had approximately 85 gallons of usable fuel in my AC56. AC56 burns 32 gallons per hour, so 85 gallons was more than enough for 2 hours. I finished my last site in ZZZ2 approximately XB55 and proceeded for home, some 50 mi away. I was at 3500 ft MSL and was in the process of finishing my paperwork when the right engine quit. I went through standard procedures and feathered. About 30 seconds later the left engine quit. I informed ZZZ2 approach control that I was going to make an emergency landing. I selected a field and made a dead stick landing to a full stop with no damage. Fuel was attained, permission from the land owner to depart his field and departure. Landed at ZZZ1 with no problems. Later, my mechanic and I decided that the seal on the fuel pump (leak) had failed and it was pumping as much fuel overboard as it was to the carburetor. Seal was replaced and problem corrected. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter verified that an o-ring seal on the engine fuel pump had failed and the fuel was being pumped overboard at a rate double the normal engine use. After realizing he had run out of fuel, he landed in a farmer's field, had a fuel truck refuel the aircraft and flew the 10 min flight to his home base. This analyst feels it may have been more prudent to check the fuel leak and get it fixed prior to flying the aircraft. The possibility of being pumped around a hot engine could have caused a catastrophic fire.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AC56 PLT HAS DUAL ENG FAILURE AND LANDS IN FIELD.
Narrative: JUL/MON/02, I DEPARTED ZZZ1 AT APPROX XA20 FOR A PHOTO FLT. AFTER MY PREFLT INSPECTION, I DETERMINED I HAD APPROX 85 GALLONS OF USABLE FUEL IN MY AC56. AC56 BURNS 32 GALLONS PER HR, SO 85 GALLONS WAS MORE THAN ENOUGH FOR 2 HRS. I FINISHED MY LAST SITE IN ZZZ2 APPROX XB55 AND PROCEEDED FOR HOME, SOME 50 MI AWAY. I WAS AT 3500 FT MSL AND WAS IN THE PROCESS OF FINISHING MY PAPERWORK WHEN THE R ENG QUIT. I WENT THROUGH STANDARD PROCS AND FEATHERED. ABOUT 30 SECONDS LATER THE L ENG QUIT. I INFORMED ZZZ2 APCH CTL THAT I WAS GOING TO MAKE AN EMER LNDG. I SELECTED A FIELD AND MADE A DEAD STICK LNDG TO A FULL STOP WITH NO DAMAGE. FUEL WAS ATTAINED, PERMISSION FROM THE LAND OWNER TO DEPART HIS FIELD AND DEP. LANDED AT ZZZ1 WITH NO PROBS. LATER, MY MECH AND I DECIDED THAT THE SEAL ON THE FUEL PUMP (LEAK) HAD FAILED AND IT WAS PUMPING AS MUCH FUEL OVERBOARD AS IT WAS TO THE CARB. SEAL WAS REPLACED AND PROB CORRECTED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR VERIFIED THAT AN O-RING SEAL ON THE ENG FUEL PUMP HAD FAILED AND THE FUEL WAS BEING PUMPED OVERBOARD AT A RATE DOUBLE THE NORMAL ENG USE. AFTER REALIZING HE HAD RUN OUT OF FUEL, HE LANDED IN A FARMER'S FIELD, HAD A FUEL TRUCK REFUEL THE ACFT AND FLEW THE 10 MIN FLT TO HIS HOME BASE. THIS ANALYST FEELS IT MAY HAVE BEEN MORE PRUDENT TO CHK THE FUEL LEAK AND GET IT FIXED PRIOR TO FLYING THE ACFT. THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING PUMPED AROUND A HOT ENG COULD HAVE CAUSED A CATASTROPHIC FIRE.
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.