OK, Here is what happened
Friday 18th 2014
I had someone wanting a fly in my aircraft with me for a local flight.
All the usual pre-flight stuff, check oil, start up, warm
engine, let oil temps rise, check oil pressure and CHTs etc…
We taxi out, do a power check and instrument scan, all is well. Power
up to Full throttle and we are on our way. Just past the end of the
runway I check the RPM and notice 2800 instead of 3000 so we are 200
down and comment to passenger. Almost immediately I then detect a
burning hot smell and go into … let’s get back to Airfield ASAP. I
eliminate oil burning on the exhaust, wrong smell and an electrical
fire in the cockpit as no smoke or acrid smells but still worried it
could be an electrical fire in the cowling !!
I elect to get back on the ground very quickly, but also think the
smell is a hot engine but in the rush to get back on the ground at such
a low height of 3-400 feet and losing power I was more pre occupied
with flying the aircraft and looking for places to land in the event of
having to straight away than looking inside the cockpit. At this point,
Audibly and Physically, the engine seemed fine with no unusual noises
but that could be just because I was concentrating on the job of
getting down safely.
At about 200 feet, turning the corner with about a mile from the 09 threashold
with low level powerlines and a hedge between me and the runway and at about 70 knots
I start to bleed the speed and pull in some flap at about 65 ( flap limit is 63 knots ) and
start to throttle back a little to be greeted with a total sudden engine stoppage !!!
I am now fully pre occupied with flying the aeroplane and trying not to
crash into the power lines or clip the hedge. I do this with success
and we managed to just miss the top of the hedge and do a good but
heavy landing and coast to a stop of the runway.
Both me and Passenger OK and no damage to aircraft. Just a very poorly engine,
Jangled nerves and an interesting log book entry. We go down the Pub.
Regards
Mark
By: mike currill - 5th May 2014 at 15:49
Your and Moggy’s recent experiences are proof that we should all learn from the experience and mistakes of others as we are unlikely to experience them all do ourselves.
By: Arabella-Cox - 30th April 2014 at 18:31
Yes it was all a bit close.
Engine has been taken out and sent to ULP for investigation. Turned out to be a Faulty Weld on the oil pick up tube allowing the tube to become detatched from the mounting flange and thus no oil feed.
A service Bulletin is in the pipeline as are replacement parts for all engines with the same design of part as Mine.
I am being sent a Brand new engine to replace my old unit.
Regards
Mark
P.S No he has not made is mind up yet.
By: TonyT - 28th April 2014 at 17:34
Blimey Mark, sounds like you did a textbook job of it, what engine is it? I take it he never bought it..
By: mike currill - 28th April 2014 at 14:04
Another happy ending then as you are still here to tell of the event. I can’t imagine the result being quite so acceptable if the aircraft had argued with the top of the hedge.
By: Arabella-Cox - 28th April 2014 at 00:44
Hi Moggy
Yes we both survived as Thankfully so did you.
The power lines were not so much the problem it was the hedge as we only just scraped over the top !!
Aircraft was and is totally unscathed as are we so, yes, we were very lucky.
Engine wise we did some diagnostics and found that Cylinders 1 + 2 both had low compressions while 3 + 4 were normal.
No2 was lowest and No 1 was better but there were some horrible sounds coming from the engine when we were spinning it over. While we were doing this I noticed that I had Zero oil pressure.
So, it looks like something in the oil delivery system has failed and prevented oil pressure.
The engine is now out and away with the manufacturer for them to investigate and Fix it. Its under warranted so Fingers crossed they honer it and don’t try to wriggle out of it and blame me for something. Hope not as I am very thorough with maintenance, pre flight and warm ups as well as scanning instruments.
All the best
Mark
By: Moggy C - 27th April 2014 at 20:56
Phew!
I raced through the account. Obviously you survived, but I so needed to know the outcome.
Well done. Looks like you’ll be able to use the aircraft again, which is more than I can say.
The power lines must have generated a high pucker factor?
Moggy
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April 27, 2014 at 8:11 pm