 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
A low time piper pilot experienced vapor lock while changing fuel tanks, causing the engine to stop. A forced landing was made in a corn field.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 450592 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199909 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : gsh.vortac |
| State Reference | IN |
| Altitude | msl single value : 6500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zau.artcc |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 400 flight time type : 15 |
| ASRS Report | 450597 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
After cruising for 42 mins at 6500 ft MSL, I changed tanks from left to right. I turned on the master fuel pump. The engine seemed vapor locked, starved of fuel. I tried pumping the primer and shutting the master on and off. I could not get fuel to the engine. By this time, I glided to 4000 ft, at which point I declared an emergency and looked for a field in order to land. I landed in a corn field. When I checked the tanks on the ground, I found the right tank full.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A LOW TIME PIPER PLT EXPERIENCED VAPOR LOCK WHILE CHANGING FUEL TANKS, CAUSING THE ENG TO STOP. A FORCED LNDG WAS MADE IN A CORN FIELD.
Narrative: AFTER CRUISING FOR 42 MINS AT 6500 FT MSL, I CHANGED TANKS FROM L TO R. I TURNED ON THE MASTER FUEL PUMP. THE ENG SEEMED VAPOR LOCKED, STARVED OF FUEL. I TRIED PUMPING THE PRIMER AND SHUTTING THE MASTER ON AND OFF. I COULD NOT GET FUEL TO THE ENG. BY THIS TIME, I GLIDED TO 4000 FT, AT WHICH POINT I DECLARED AN EMER AND LOOKED FOR A FIELD IN ORDER TO LAND. I LANDED IN A CORN FIELD. WHEN I CHKED THE TANKS ON THE GND, I FOUND THE R TANK FULL.
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.