Engine quit on final. Continued to safe landing.

Attributes
ACN	161493
Time
Date	199010
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gai
State Reference	MD
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 3 flight time total : 900 flight time type : 190
ASRS Report	161493
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:

Engine quit when throttle was at idle on final. XXX engine with wooden propeller and no electric system or ring gear. No cause found for engine failure. Because of wooden propeller and no ring gear, engine has very little flywheel effect; therefore, if even 1 cylinder missed for any reason, engine will stop. This stoppage did not result in an accident. A possible solution would be to use a higher idle speed or heavier propeller.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ENGINE QUIT ON FINAL. CONTINUED TO SAFE LNDG.

Narrative: ENG QUIT WHEN THROTTLE WAS AT IDLE ON FINAL. XXX ENG WITH WOODEN PROP AND NO ELECTRIC SYS OR RING GEAR. NO CAUSE FOUND FOR ENG FAILURE. BECAUSE OF WOODEN PROP AND NO RING GEAR, ENG HAS VERY LITTLE FLYWHEEL EFFECT; THEREFORE, IF EVEN 1 CYLINDER MISSED FOR ANY REASON, ENG WILL STOP. THIS STOPPAGE DID NOT RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. A POSSIBLE SOLUTION WOULD BE TO USE A HIGHER IDLE SPD OR HEAVIER PROP.

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.