Unable to return to his refueling airport after engine failure during departure an RV7 pilot success...

Attributes
ACN	747116
Time
Date	200707
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 1200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Experimental
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time total : 400 flight time type : 220
ASRS Report	747116
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

After refueling at ZZZ I was leaving their airspace when the engine stopped. I turned back towards ZZZ and informed them of an engine out situation. After going over emergency checklists and setting up for best glide speed it became obvious I did not have the altitude to make the runway. I saw a construction zone off to my left and decided that this would be the only place to land. I landed with no damage to the aircraft or the construction site. The aircraft was then towed back to ZZZ airport by the local FBO. Upon inspection it was found that the cause of the engine failure was a rubber gasket that had dislodged itself from the intake air box and been sucked up in to the intake of the aircraft. This had cut off all air to the engine and the engine then stopped. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the rubber gasket was a modification of the original installation which did not call for a gasket. Because of warping of the original fiberglas housing allowing leakage past the air filter the gasket was installed with a bonding sealant. The sealant failed after approximately 200 hours of use. It is now held in place with rivets.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNABLE TO RETURN TO HIS REFUELING ARPT AFTER ENGINE FAILURE DURING DEPARTURE AN RV7 PILOT SUCCESSFULLY LANDS AT A CONSTRUCTION ZONE WITH NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT.

Narrative: AFTER REFUELING AT ZZZ I WAS LEAVING THEIR AIRSPACE WHEN THE ENG STOPPED. I TURNED BACK TOWARDS ZZZ AND INFORMED THEM OF AN ENG OUT SITUATION. AFTER GOING OVER EMER CHKLISTS AND SETTING UP FOR BEST GLIDE SPD IT BECAME OBVIOUS I DID NOT HAVE THE ALT TO MAKE THE RWY. I SAW A CONSTRUCTION ZONE OFF TO MY L AND DECIDED THAT THIS WOULD BE THE ONLY PLACE TO LAND. I LANDED WITH NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT OR THE CONSTRUCTION SITE. THE ACFT WAS THEN TOWED BACK TO ZZZ ARPT BY THE LCL FBO. UPON INSPECTION IT WAS FOUND THAT THE CAUSE OF THE ENG FAILURE WAS A RUBBER GASKET THAT HAD DISLODGED ITSELF FROM THE INTAKE AIR BOX AND BEEN SUCKED UP IN TO THE INTAKE OF THE ACFT. THIS HAD CUT OFF ALL AIR TO THE ENG AND THE ENG THEN STOPPED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RUBBER GASKET WAS A MODIFICATION OF THE ORIGINAL INSTALLATION WHICH DID NOT CALL FOR A GASKET. BECAUSE OF WARPING OF THE ORIGINAL FIBERGLAS HOUSING ALLOWING LEAKAGE PAST THE AIR FILTER THE GASKET WAS INSTALLED WITH A BONDING SEALANT. THE SEALANT FAILED AFTER APPROXIMATELY 200 HOURS OF USE. IT IS NOW HELD IN PLACE WITH RIVETS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

Unable to return to his refueling airport after engine failure during departure an RV7 pilot successfully lands at a construction zone with no damage to the aircraft.