A long-ez at 2200 ft lost power and made an off-field landing. Caused by fuel line fitting vibrating...

Attributes
ACN	675521
Time
Date	200510
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 2200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Experimental
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 4 flight time total : 430 flight time type : 265
ASRS Report	675521
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : eng instruments other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Engine lost power (later determined cause to be loose fuel line) at approximately 1500 ft AGL. Pilot attempted restart procedure -- switching tanks; using boost pump; etc; and began looking for off-site landing area. Safely landed on highway after establishing best glide speed and looking for traffic on the roadway. Important situational awareness -- this was probably the only place to land safely. Very heavy industrial area within 1-2 mi radius. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated one of the most important actions when facing an engine power failure is situational awareness. You can get busy trying to attempt restart; switching on pumps and other troubleshooting action; but you better look for a place to put it down! The highway was clear but was in an industrial area with associated power lines; telephone lines and utility poles. The airplane had no damage and was disassembled and brought back to the airport in a trailer. The airplane was built by the owner pilot taking 11 yrs for construction and has been operated for 5 yrs by the owner.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A LONG-EZ AT 2200 FT LOST PWR AND MADE AN OFF-FIELD LNDG. CAUSED BY FUEL LINE FITTING VIBRATING LOOSE. NO DAMAGE INCURRED TO ACFT.

Narrative: ENG LOST PWR (LATER DETERMINED CAUSE TO BE LOOSE FUEL LINE) AT APPROX 1500 FT AGL. PLT ATTEMPTED RESTART PROC -- SWITCHING TANKS; USING BOOST PUMP; ETC; AND BEGAN LOOKING FOR OFF-SITE LNDG AREA. SAFELY LANDED ON HWY AFTER ESTABLISHING BEST GLIDE SPD AND LOOKING FOR TFC ON THE ROADWAY. IMPORTANT SITUATIONAL AWARENESS -- THIS WAS PROBABLY THE ONLY PLACE TO LAND SAFELY. VERY HVY INDUSTRIAL AREA WITHIN 1-2 MI RADIUS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ACTIONS WHEN FACING AN ENG PWR FAILURE IS SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. YOU CAN GET BUSY TRYING TO ATTEMPT RESTART; SWITCHING ON PUMPS AND OTHER TROUBLESHOOTING ACTION; BUT YOU BETTER LOOK FOR A PLACE TO PUT IT DOWN! THE HWY WAS CLR BUT WAS IN AN INDUSTRIAL AREA WITH ASSOCIATED PWR LINES; TELEPHONE LINES AND UTILITY POLES. THE AIRPLANE HAD NO DAMAGE AND WAS DISASSEMBLED AND BROUGHT BACK TO THE ARPT IN A TRAILER. THE AIRPLANE WAS BUILT BY THE OWNER PLT TAKING 11 YRS FOR CONSTRUCTION AND HAS BEEN OPERATED FOR 5 YRS BY THE OWNER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

A long-ez at 2200 ft lost power and made an off-field landing. Caused by fuel line fitting vibrating loose. No damage incurred to aircraft.