What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft privacy data omittedbuilder and 2nd pilot (seated in right seat) planned for and fueled for a 200NM round trip from keug to kspb. The purpose of the trip was for measuring the interior, and fuel flow computations. Both tanks were completely filled at keug prior to departure. Pilot claims that the 200NM round trip should have taken about 1.5 hours of flying time and about 15 gallons of fuel at the most. (Based on a maximum of 10 gph fuel flow.)
Pilot stated that on the return trip, the number 3 EGT indicated high, and the number 3 CHT indicated low. Both pilots were aware of these readings. Over salem, the temperatures began to read erratic-high and low-and shortly thereafter, the engine failed.
Almost simultaneously, (pilot seated in left seat) switched tanks and (pilot seated in right seat) turned the boost pump to on. The engine did not restart and (pilot seated in left seat) immediately gave (pilot seated in right seat) the controls. Pilots had previously discussed emergencies and agreed that (pilot seated in right seat) was better prepared to handle a serious emergency. Pilot seated in right seat saw what looked like a runway, but quickly realized it was a road with power lines, so he changed plans and landed in the field causing only minor cosmetic damage. Post flight inspection showed that the right fuel tank was in fact empty.
The following week, the aircraft right tank was filled with 15 gallons of fuel (the left tank still had about 15 gallons remaining) and was flown to keug, about 12 minutes flying time. The flight and landing were uneventful. privacy data omittedBuilder stated that he would have his mechanic thoroughly examine the aircraft to determine cause of rapid fuel burn, prior to further flight.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^BUILDER AND 2ND PILOT (SEATED IN RIGHT SEAT) PLANNED FOR AND FUELED FOR A 200NM ROUND TRIP FROM KEUG TO KSPB. THE PURPOSE OF THE TRIP WAS FOR MEASURING THE INTERIOR, AND FUEL FLOW COMPUTATIONS. BOTH TANKS WERE COMPLETELY FILLED AT KEUG PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. PILOT CLAIMS THAT THE 200NM ROUND TRIP SHOULD HAVE TAKEN ABOUT 1.5 HOURS OF FLYING TIME AND ABOUT 15 GALLONS OF FUEL AT THE MOST. (BASED ON A MAXIMUM OF 10 GPH FUEL FLOW.)
PILOT STATED THAT ON THE RETURN TRIP, THE NUMBER 3 EGT INDICATED HIGH, AND THE NUMBER 3 CHT INDICATED LOW. BOTH PILOTS WERE AWARE OF THESE READINGS. OVER SALEM, THE TEMPERATURES BEGAN TO READ ERRATIC-HIGH AND LOW-AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE ENGINE FAILED.
ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY, (PILOT SEATED IN LEFT SEAT) SWITCHED TANKS AND (PILOT SEATED IN RIGHT SEAT) TURNED THE BOOST PUMP TO ON. THE ENGINE DID NOT RESTART AND (PILOT SEATED IN LEFT SEAT) IMMEDIATELY GAVE (PILOT SEATED IN RIGHT SEAT) THE CONTROLS. PILOTS HAD PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED EMERGENCIES AND AGREED THAT (PILOT SEATED IN RIGHT SEAT) WAS BETTER PREPARED TO HANDLE A SERIOUS EMERGENCY. PILOT SEATED IN RIGHT SEAT SAW WHAT LOOKED LIKE A RUNWAY, BUT QUICKLY REALIZED IT WAS A ROAD WITH POWER LINES, SO HE CHANGED PLANS AND LANDED IN THE FIELD CAUSING ONLY MINOR COSMETIC DAMAGE. POST FLIGHT INSPECTION SHOWED THAT THE RIGHT FUEL TANK WAS IN FACT EMPTY.
THE FOLLOWING WEEK, THE AIRCRAFT RIGHT TANK WAS FILLED WITH 15 GALLONS OF FUEL (THE LEFT TANK STILL HAD ABOUT 15 GALLONS REMAINING) AND WAS FLOWN TO KEUG, ABOUT 12 MINUTES FLYING TIME. THE FLIGHT AND LANDING WERE UNEVENTFUL. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^BUILDER STATED THAT HE WOULD HAVE HIS MECHANIC THOROUGHLY EXAMINE THE AIRCRAFT TO DETERMINE CAUSE OF RAPID FUEL BURN, PRIOR TO FURTHER FLIGHT.
Other reports on N164BJ · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.