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PA28 engine failed shortly after takeoff due to fuel starvation caused by clogged fuel vent line. Pilot switched fuel tanks and engine restarted for the return to the airport.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 759524 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200710 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : cxy.airport |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | agl single value : 300 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : cxy.tower artcc : zzz.artcc |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | PA-32 Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : takeoff |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 4477 flight time type : 50 |
| ASRS Report | 759524 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : overcame equipment problem |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Environmental Factor |
| Primary Problem | Environmental Factor |
Narrative:
During the takeoff roll everything appeared normal so I departed. At approximately 300 ft the engine quit. (During preflight 12 gals a side was confirmed.) ran the emergency checklist and switched tanks the engine restarted. I entered the downwind and landed as soon as possible. The cause was a clogged fuel vent line and the engine could not draw fuel from that tank. A wasp nest was found about 4 inches up the vent line in the left tank. It was not visible during the normal preflight. The nest was removed and the aircraft test flown again and everything operated normally.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PA28 ENG FAILED SHORTLY AFTER TKOF DUE TO FUEL STARVATION CAUSED BY CLOGGED FUEL VENT LINE. PLT SWITCHED FUEL TANKS AND ENG RESTARTED FOR THE RETURN TO THE ARPT.
Narrative: DURING THE TKOF ROLL EVERYTHING APPEARED NORMAL SO I DEPARTED. AT APPROX 300 FT THE ENG QUIT. (DURING PREFLT 12 GALS A SIDE WAS CONFIRMED.) RAN THE EMER CHKLIST AND SWITCHED TANKS THE ENG RESTARTED. I ENTERED THE DOWNWIND AND LANDED ASAP. THE CAUSE WAS A CLOGGED FUEL VENT LINE AND THE ENG COULD NOT DRAW FUEL FROM THAT TANK. A WASP NEST WAS FOUND ABOUT 4 INCHES UP THE VENT LINE IN THE L TANK. IT WAS NOT VISIBLE DURING THE NORMAL PREFLT. THE NEST WAS REMOVED AND THE ACFT TEST FLOWN AGAIN AND EVERYTHING OPERATED NORMALLY.
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.