# Incident 20130729015469I: Smircich Andrew PA-18 REPLICA, Homer, AK, July 29, 2013

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 29, 2013, 17:00 local time
- Place: Homer, AK
- Airport: Homer
- Damage: No damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 59.6455° N, 151.4766° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at HOMER (HOM), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=59.6455&lon=-151.4766&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9969Z (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: SMIRCICH ANDREW PA-18 REPLICA
- Reported engine: AEROSPORT POWER O360
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 10,500 total, 701 in this make and model, 84 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130729015469I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

THE FACTS IN THIS NARRATIVE ARE BASED ON STATEMENTS MADE BY THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^PILOT IN COMMAND DURING AN INTERVIEW CONDUCTED ON JULY 31, 2013:

DURING A FLIGHT CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR 91 RULES, A PA-18 REPLICA AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A POWERPLANT FAILURE RESULTING IN A FORCED LANDING IN A MARSH WITH NO REPORTED DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE SURGED AT WHICH TIME HE MANIPULATED THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVES WHICH RESTORED THE RUNNING OF THE ENGINE MOMENTARILY. THE ENGINE THEN SURGED AND QUIT DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION AS STATED BY THE PILOT. DURING THE INTERVIEW OF THE PILOT^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THE DESIGN OF THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS DISCUSSED. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT THE FUEL LINES RUN FROM THE RIGHT AND LEFT TANKS BUT TRAVERSE THE WING ROOT AREA AND HAVE TO RISE BEFORE RUNNING DOWN THE DOOR POSTS ON THE RESPECTIVE SIDES OF THE AIRCRAFT. THIS CAUSES A HIGH SPOT IN THE GRAVITY FEED TYPE FUEL SYSTEM RESULTING IN RELIANCE OF SIPHONING TO PREVENT INTERRUPTION OF THE FUEL SUPPLY TO THE ENGINE. BY THE PILOT?S OWN ADMISSION THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THE ENGINE HAS INDICATED THAT IT WAS GOING TO QUIT DUE TO FUEL STARVATION. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE SYSTEM DEFINITELY NEEDED A FUEL PUMP BETWEEN THE TANK AND THE DOORPOST(S).

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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