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Homebuilt aerobatic biplane loses power immediately after takeoff due fuel selector on empty auxiliary tank.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 158291 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199009 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : ccr |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : ccr |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft |
| Flight Phase | climbout : takeoff ground : preflight ground other : taxi |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 22 flight time total : 3953 flight time type : 1015 |
| ASRS Report | 158291 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Qualification | controller : non radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency other |
| Consequence | other Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Taxied for takeoff on auxiliary fuel tank. I had just filled main tank before starting flight and wished to burn off the auxiliary tank. A variety of unforeseen occurrences distracted me on runup. I took off on the auxiliary tank. Fuel starvation occurred at about 500' AGL (runway 32R). I switched tanks and wobble-pumped, but it looked like a dangerous off airport (possible freeway) crash. I made an instantaneous decision to give up the effort to relight, called mayday and turned and landed on 19R. I had no power and little altitude. It required landing x-ways on the runway and turning as soon as ctlable on the ground roll. I was successful except I broke the lends and bulb of 1 runway light. If the light standards were 4' shorter, I would not have damaged my plane. The wing tip fabric was torn as an inspection cover was ripped off. On the ground I was able to wobble pump and clear the air and start the engine. I taxied to my hangar and inspected the damage. I learned to not taxi on the auxiliary tank. I think I made the right decision to land instead of hoping for a relight under the circumstances.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: HOMEBUILT AEROBATIC BIPLANE LOSES POWER IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF DUE FUEL SELECTOR ON EMPTY AUXILIARY TANK.
Narrative: TAXIED FOR TKOF ON AUX FUEL TANK. I HAD JUST FILLED MAIN TANK BEFORE STARTING FLT AND WISHED TO BURN OFF THE AUX TANK. A VARIETY OF UNFORESEEN OCCURRENCES DISTRACTED ME ON RUNUP. I TOOK OFF ON THE AUX TANK. FUEL STARVATION OCCURRED AT ABOUT 500' AGL (RWY 32R). I SWITCHED TANKS AND WOBBLE-PUMPED, BUT IT LOOKED LIKE A DANGEROUS OFF ARPT (POSSIBLE FREEWAY) CRASH. I MADE AN INSTANTANEOUS DECISION TO GIVE UP THE EFFORT TO RELIGHT, CALLED MAYDAY AND TURNED AND LANDED ON 19R. I HAD NO PWR AND LITTLE ALT. IT REQUIRED LNDG X-WAYS ON THE RWY AND TURNING AS SOON AS CTLABLE ON THE GND ROLL. I WAS SUCCESSFUL EXCEPT I BROKE THE LENDS AND BULB OF 1 RWY LIGHT. IF THE LIGHT STANDARDS WERE 4' SHORTER, I WOULD NOT HAVE DAMAGED MY PLANE. THE WING TIP FABRIC WAS TORN AS AN INSPECTION COVER WAS RIPPED OFF. ON THE GND I WAS ABLE TO WOBBLE PUMP AND CLR THE AIR AND START THE ENG. I TAXIED TO MY HANGAR AND INSPECTED THE DAMAGE. I LEARNED TO NOT TAXI ON THE AUX TANK. I THINK I MADE THE RIGHT DECISION TO LAND INSTEAD OF HOPING FOR A RELIGHT UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
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.