Engine failure, forced landing.

Attributes
ACN	91104
Time
Date	198807
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : 90or airport : 09or
State Reference	OR
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 1165
ASRS Report	91104
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

With no warning my engine started running intermittently. I checked mixture, carburetor heat, switched tanks with no improvement. When the engine finally quit I made a landing on the highway with no damage to anyone or myself. Called my mechanic. He suggested I drain all gas sumps which were clear of contamination. Restarted plane. Highway department stopped traffic for departure. Continued on with no more problems. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter has flown this plane for 17 yrs with no problems. Mechanic at destination checked and found nothing. Flew home uneventfully. Own mechanic checked, found nothing. Concensus is that vapor lock occurred. FAA rep came to scene and suggested reporter check highway to see if safe for takeoff. Highway department assisted, stopping traffic.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ENGINE FAILURE, FORCED LNDG.

Narrative: WITH NO WARNING MY ENG STARTED RUNNING INTERMITTENTLY. I CHKED MIXTURE, CARB HEAT, SWITCHED TANKS WITH NO IMPROVEMENT. WHEN THE ENG FINALLY QUIT I MADE A LNDG ON THE HWY WITH NO DAMAGE TO ANYONE OR MYSELF. CALLED MY MECH. HE SUGGESTED I DRAIN ALL GAS SUMPS WHICH WERE CLR OF CONTAMINATION. RESTARTED PLANE. HWY DEPT STOPPED TFC FOR DEP. CONTINUED ON WITH NO MORE PROBS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR HAS FLOWN THIS PLANE FOR 17 YRS WITH NO PROBS. MECH AT DEST CHKED AND FOUND NOTHING. FLEW HOME UNEVENTFULLY. OWN MECH CHKED, FOUND NOTHING. CONCENSUS IS THAT VAPOR LOCK OCCURRED. FAA REP CAME TO SCENE AND SUGGESTED RPTR CHK HWY TO SEE IF SAFE FOR TKOF. HWY DEPT ASSISTED, STOPPING TFC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.