GA small aircraft engine failure after takeoff. Emergency landing off airport.

Attributes
ACN	96735
Time
Date	198808
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : vis
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 18 flight time total : 530 flight time type : 470
ASRS Report	96735
Person 2
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 18 flight time total : 530 flight time type : 470
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : anomaly accepted other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Shortly after takeoff noticed low power. Checked oil pressure--none. Tried to return to airport altitude--about 300 ft AGL. Engine stopped. Landed in cotton field. (I had previously removed the broken vacuum pump not realizing that it blocked off an oil port--result lost oil, causing engine failure). Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: learned there was minor damage to the nose gear linkage and some skin damage. Reporter is not an a&P and stated this was a case where a little bit of knowledge was dangerous. Others had told him he could fly without vacuum pump but never told him he had to put cover plate on to block oil port. FAA investigated incident but it happened four months ago and he has heard nothing from them since that time. Has since sold aircraft also ascertained date of occurrence.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA ENGINE FAILURE AFTER TKOF. EMERGENCY LNDG OFF ARPT.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER TKOF NOTICED LOW POWER. CHECKED OIL PRESSURE--NONE. TRIED TO RETURN TO AIRPORT ALTITUDE--ABOUT 300 FT AGL. ENGINE STOPPED. LANDED IN COTTON FIELD. (I HAD PREVIOUSLY REMOVED THE BROKEN VACUUM PUMP NOT REALIZING THAT IT BLOCKED OFF AN OIL PORT--RESULT LOST OIL, CAUSING ENGINE FAILURE). CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: LEARNED THERE WAS MINOR DAMAGE TO THE NOSE GEAR LINKAGE AND SOME SKIN DAMAGE. REPORTER IS NOT AN A&P AND STATED THIS WAS A CASE WHERE A LITTLE BIT OF KNOWLEDGE WAS DANGEROUS. OTHERS HAD TOLD HIM HE COULD FLY WITHOUT VACUUM PUMP BUT NEVER TOLD HIM HE HAD TO PUT COVER PLATE ON TO BLOCK OIL PORT. FAA INVESTIGATED INCIDENT BUT IT HAPPENED FOUR MONTHS AGO AND HE HAS HEARD NOTHING FROM THEM SINCE THAT TIME. HAS SINCE SOLD ACFT ALSO ASCERTAINED DATE OF OCCURRENCE.

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.