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Pilot of an sel small aircraft made off airport forced landing on interstate freeway when the engine quit just short of destination of a 10 min flight. Fuel starvation due to a clogged fuel vent is suspected.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 454561 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199911 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| State Reference | SC |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 2000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 6 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 30 |
| ASRS Report | 434561 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : landed in emergency condition |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
While on a 10 min flight from twin lakes airport, sc, to daniel field, GA (dnl), the aircraft lost power and a forced landing was completed in the median of I-20 east of augusta. The aircraft had just finished its annual but had not flown in 6 months prior to this flight. Fuel gauges indicated the following: right tank showed less than 1/4 while the left tank indicated 1/2 tank full. During descent, the fuel selector was moved from both to the left position. However, the engine did not restart. Although not known at this time, it is believed that the vent line on the left tank was plugged probably by a mud dobber (insect) while sitting in the hangar for so long. A note will be made in the aircraft checklist to check the tank vent lines in the future.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF AN SEL SMA MADE OFF ARPT FORCED LNDG ON INTERSTATE FREEWAY WHEN THE ENG QUIT JUST SHORT OF DEST OF A 10 MIN FLT. FUEL STARVATION DUE TO A CLOGGED FUEL VENT IS SUSPECTED.
Narrative: WHILE ON A 10 MIN FLT FROM TWIN LAKES ARPT, SC, TO DANIEL FIELD, GA (DNL), THE ACFT LOST PWR AND A FORCED LNDG WAS COMPLETED IN THE MEDIAN OF I-20 E OF AUGUSTA. THE ACFT HAD JUST FINISHED ITS ANNUAL BUT HAD NOT FLOWN IN 6 MONTHS PRIOR TO THIS FLT. FUEL GAUGES INDICATED THE FOLLOWING: R TANK SHOWED LESS THAN 1/4 WHILE THE L TANK INDICATED 1/2 TANK FULL. DURING DSCNT, THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS MOVED FROM BOTH TO THE L POS. HOWEVER, THE ENG DID NOT RESTART. ALTHOUGH NOT KNOWN AT THIS TIME, IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE VENT LINE ON THE L TANK WAS PLUGGED PROBABLY BY A MUD DOBBER (INSECT) WHILE SITTING IN THE HANGAR FOR SO LONG. A NOTE WILL BE MADE IN THE ACFT CHKLIST TO CHK THE TANK VENT LINES IN THE FUTURE.
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.