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An M20C pilot experienced a power loss with the supplying fuel tank indicating three quarters full. Just as water contact was made he switched fuel tanks and restarted the engine.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 678310 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200511 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 1000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | M-20 B/C Ranger |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 2000 flight time type : 6 |
| ASRS Report | 678310 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : eng failure other other : 1 |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : exited adverse environment |
| Consequence | other other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
Engine quit in-flight. Propeller windmill. Turned boost pump on. Fuel gauges showed 1/2 tank on left; 3/4 tank on right. Propeller full forward; mixture full rich; left/right magneto cycle but still no start. Setting up glide and as plane was 10 ft over water; changed tanks from right to left. Lower empennage made contact with water right as engine surged. Control check performed at 1500 ft MSL with no issues. Returned landing at controled field. Noted right tank was dry but gauge read 3/4's. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that the lower antenna and rotating beacon were damaged. A mechanic cleaned the area where water contact was made and replaced the items. The reporter stated the mechanic found the mechanical float gauge stuck and that is what caused the inaccurate reading. The aircraft has been repaired.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN M20C PLT EXPERIENCED A PWR LOSS WITH THE SUPPLYING FUEL TANK INDICATING THREE QUARTERS FULL. JUST AS WATER CONTACT WAS MADE HE SWITCHED FUEL TANKS AND RESTARTED THE ENG.
Narrative: ENG QUIT INFLT. PROP WINDMILL. TURNED BOOST PUMP ON. FUEL GAUGES SHOWED 1/2 TANK ON L; 3/4 TANK ON R. PROP FULL FORWARD; MIXTURE FULL RICH; L/R MAGNETO CYCLE BUT STILL NO START. SETTING UP GLIDE AND AS PLANE WAS 10 FT OVER WATER; CHANGED TANKS FROM R TO L. LOWER EMPENNAGE MADE CONTACT WITH WATER RIGHT AS ENG SURGED. CTL CHK PERFORMED AT 1500 FT MSL WITH NO ISSUES. RETURNED LNDG AT CTLED FIELD. NOTED R TANK WAS DRY BUT GAUGE READ 3/4'S. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE LOWER ANTENNA AND ROTATING BEACON WERE DAMAGED. A MECH CLEANED THE AREA WHERE WATER CONTACT WAS MADE AND REPLACED THE ITEMS. THE RPTR STATED THE MECH FOUND THE MECHANICAL FLOAT GAUGE STUCK AND THAT IS WHAT CAUSED THE INACCURATE READING. THE ACFT HAS BEEN REPAIRED.
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.