What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
While on a local pleasure flight engine lost power resulting in an emergency off airport landing. This took place at approximately 1330 EST, on April 11, 1998, and resulted in minor damage to the aircraft. Cause of loss of power has been determined to be because of water in the aux. Fuel tanks. This aircraft, a Hawker sea fury manufactured in 1949, has been modified over the years. It now has a curtiss wright 3350 cid engine. Due to the larger engine the oil cooler is apparently unable to cool the oil adequately during extended ground operations. For that reason a water spray bar has been installed, along with an additional tank in each wing to hold the water. This water is to spray on the oil cooler, while on the ground, to help control oil temperature. The system is designed so that these aditional tanks can be utilized for fuel if necessary. They also have a common vent line with the normal aux. Fuel tanks in the wings. Also the normal aux fuel tanks do not have provsions for sumping. These are the tanks that contained the water that caused the power loss. It appears that with water in the water tanks, and the wing folded up. Water drained back through the vent line into the the normal aux fuel tanks and with the wings folded the water tanks are higer than the fuel tanks. The pilot stated that he had drained all the fuel sumps prior to takeoff. He was unalbe to drain the aux. Tanks since there are no provisions to do so. With the fuselage fuel tank full he was able to fly for approximately 20 to 25 minutes before the pumps began pumping fuel from the aux. Tanks to the fuselage tank. That was when the power loss occurred.
As the FAA filed it
WHILE ON A LOCAL PLEASURE FLIGHT ENGINE LOST POWER RESULTING IN AN EMERGENCY OFF AIRPORT LANDING. THIS TOOK PLACE AT APPROXIMATELY 1330 EST, ON APRIL 11, 1998, AND RESULTED IN MINOR DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. CAUSE OF LOSS OF POWER HAS BEEN DETERMINED TO BE BECAUSE OF WATER IN THE AUX. FUEL TANKS. THIS AIRCRAFT, A HAWKER SEA FURY MANUFACTURED IN 1949, HAS BEEN MODIFIED OVER THE YEARS. IT NOW HAS A CURTISS WRIGHT 3350 CID ENGINE. DUE TO THE LARGER ENGINE THE OIL COOLER IS APPARENTLY UNABLE TO COOL THE OIL ADEQUATELY DURING EXTENDED GROUND OPERATIONS. FOR THAT REASON A WATER SPRAY BAR HAS BEEN INSTALLED, ALONG WITH AN ADDITIONAL TANK IN EACH WING TO HOLD THE WATER. THIS WATER IS TO SPRAY ON THE OIL COOLER, WHILE ON THE GROUND, TO HELP CONTROL OIL TEMPERATURE. THE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED SO THAT THESE ADITIONAL TANKS CAN BE UTILIZED FOR FUEL IF NECESSARY. THEY ALSO HAVE A COMMON VENT LINE WITH THE NORMAL AUX. FUEL TANKS IN THE WINGS. ALSO THE NORMAL AUX FUEL TANKS DO NOT HAVE PROVSIONS FOR SUMPING. THESE ARE THE TANKS THAT CONTAINED THE WATER THAT CAUSED THE POWER LOSS. IT APPEARS THAT WITH WATER IN THE WATER TANKS, AND THE WING FOLDED UP. WATER DRAINED BACK THROUGH THE VENT LINE INTO THE THE NORMAL AUX FUEL TANKS AND WITH THE WINGS FOLDED THE WATER TANKS ARE HIGER THAN THE FUEL TANKS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD DRAINED ALL THE FUEL SUMPS PRIOR TO TAKEOFF. HE WAS UNALBE TO DRAIN THE AUX. TANKS SINCE THERE ARE NO PROVISIONS TO DO SO. WITH THE FUSELAGE FUEL TANK FULL HE WAS ABLE TO FLY FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 TO 25 MINUTES BEFORE THE PUMPS BEGAN PUMPING FUEL FROM THE AUX. TANKS TO THE FUSELAGE TANK. THAT WAS WHEN THE POWER LOSS OCCURRED.
Other reports on N51SF · 3
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