Small aircraft aircraft engine quit. Pilot landed in nearby shopping center parking lot.

Attributes
ACN	128762
Time
Date	198911
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hwd
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : hwd
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 125 flight time total : 415 flight time type : 395
ASRS Report	128762
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	faa : investigated other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Engine quit on final approach, forcing an emergency landing. Fuel gauges indicated fuel. Scanned instruments and then went into full emergency procedures. Landed plane safely in shopping mall parking lot. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: it is still undetermined what caused the engine to quit. An FAA inspector talking with me speculated a vapor lock in the fuel line. All conversations with the FAA were amicable and to my knowledge they are satisfied with my actions and are not threatening any penalties. My aircraft is nearly repaired and I will be flying again soon.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ACFT ENGINE QUIT. PLT LANDED IN NEARBY SHOPPING CENTER PARKING LOT.

Narrative: ENGINE QUIT ON FINAL APCH, FORCING AN EMER LNDG. FUEL GAUGES INDICATED FUEL. SCANNED INSTRUMENTS AND THEN WENT INTO FULL EMER PROCS. LANDED PLANE SAFELY IN SHOPPING MALL PARKING LOT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: IT IS STILL UNDETERMINED WHAT CAUSED THE ENGINE TO QUIT. AN FAA INSPECTOR TALKING WITH ME SPECULATED A VAPOR LOCK IN THE FUEL LINE. ALL CONVERSATIONS WITH THE FAA WERE AMICABLE AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE THEY ARE SATISFIED WITH MY ACTIONS AND ARE NOT THREATENING ANY PENALTIES. MY ACFT IS NEARLY REPAIRED AND I WILL BE FLYING AGAIN SOON.

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.