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GA small transport developed an engine coolent leak and pilot flew at low altitude back to airport for repair.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 93826 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198809 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : vny |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 300 agl bound upper : 500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Transport |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 85 flight time total : 5000 |
| ASRS Report | 93826 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
On a pleasure flight on an evening in 9/88. I experienced an overheating problem with the liquid cooled engine in the small transport. In order to keep the aircraft from losing coolant I had to retard power and was unable to maintain level flight. My altitude became what was less than desired for terrain clearance and I was flying within 300-500' AGL as the engine cooled within its limits. I increased power and slowly worked my way back to van nuys airport for a safe landing. It was found that the radiator had developed a coolant leak and had to be fixed. There was no threat to persons, property or any action that was life threatening. We have developed a better maintenance schedule for our aircraft that was involved.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: GA SMT DEVELOPED AN ENGINE COOLENT LEAK AND PLT FLEW AT LOW ALT BACK TO ARPT FOR REPAIR.
Narrative: ON A PLEASURE FLT ON AN EVENING IN 9/88. I EXPERIENCED AN OVERHEATING PROB WITH THE LIQUID COOLED ENG IN THE SMT. IN ORDER TO KEEP THE ACFT FROM LOSING COOLANT I HAD TO RETARD PWR AND WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN LEVEL FLT. MY ALT BECAME WHAT WAS LESS THAN DESIRED FOR TERRAIN CLRNC AND I WAS FLYING WITHIN 300-500' AGL AS THE ENG COOLED WITHIN ITS LIMITS. I INCREASED PWR AND SLOWLY WORKED MY WAY BACK TO VAN NUYS ARPT FOR A SAFE LNDG. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE RADIATOR HAD DEVELOPED A COOLANT LEAK AND HAD TO BE FIXED. THERE WAS NO THREAT TO PERSONS, PROPERTY OR ANY ACTION THAT WAS LIFE THREATENING. WE HAVE DEVELOPED A BETTER MAINT SCHEDULE FOR OUR ACFT THAT WAS INVOLVED.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.