What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On at approximately 1840 local time, on 01AUG2024, the subject aircraft departed kgai for a VFR flight to ksut.
At approximately 1900 local time and just past the ticon waypoint the pilot was instructed to climb VFR to 5,500 feet. Upon entering controlled airspace, the pilot requested and received a clearance from potomac approach, through the class b airspace to navigate to ksut via the tring and ticon GPS waypoints. The pilot was initially told to remain at 2,500 feet but received progressively higher VFR altitudes up to 4,000 feet.
At approximately 1900 local time and just past the ticon waypoint, the pilot stated that he was instructed to climb VFR to 5,500 feet. Approximately 1 minute into the climb and at approximately 4,500 feet, the aircraft began to shake significantly. The pilot stated that he then turned the electric fuel pump on to enrich the mixture and looked at the aircraft’s jpi 830 graphical engine monitor and observed that the #1 cylinder EGT was missing from the instrument’s chart, and that #1 cylinder CHT was falling rapidly. The pilot stated that at this point, he knew the #1 cylinder had failed. The pilot then contacted potomac approach and requested assistance with finding a suitable landing site. The pilot stated that he continued to have partial power but was not certain if the aircraft could hold altitude for any length of time as the aircraft continued to vibrate strongly. The pilot stated that potomac provided information on stafford airport, which he stated was beyond the glide distance for his aircraft, at his current position and altitude. The pilot requested to land at Quantico as it was within the gliding distance of his aircraft. Potomac approach assisted in coordinating with Quantico personnel and the pilot was able to safely land on runway 20 at approximately 1910 local time.
After landing the pilot stated that he turned off the runway at taxiway c, turned right on taxiway b and shut down the aircraft. Shortly after exiting the airplane, he removed the cowl and observed that the #1 fuel injector line was broken and disconnected at the base of the line near the injector.
As the FAA filed it
ON AT APPROXIMATELY 1840 LOCAL TIME, ON 01AUG2024, THE SUBJECT AIRCRAFT DEPARTED KGAI FOR A VFR FLIGHT TO KSUT.
AT APPROXIMATELY 1900 LOCAL TIME AND JUST PAST THE TICON WAYPOINT THE PILOT WAS INSTRUCTED TO CLIMB VFR TO 5,500 FEET. UPON ENTERING CONTROLLED AIRSPACE, THE PILOT REQUESTED AND RECEIVED A CLEARANCE FROM POTOMAC APPROACH, THROUGH THE CLASS B AIRSPACE TO NAVIGATE TO KSUT VIA THE TRING AND TICON GPS WAYPOINTS. THE PILOT WAS INITIALLY TOLD TO REMAIN AT 2,500 FEET BUT RECEIVED PROGRESSIVELY HIGHER VFR ALTITUDES UP TO 4,000 FEET.
AT APPROXIMATELY 1900 LOCAL TIME AND JUST PAST THE TICON WAYPOINT, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS INSTRUCTED TO CLIMB VFR TO 5,500 FEET. APPROXIMATELY 1 MINUTE INTO THE CLIMB AND AT APPROXIMATELY 4,500 FEET, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO SHAKE SIGNIFICANTLY. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE THEN TURNED THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP ON TO ENRICH THE MIXTURE AND LOOKED AT THE AIRCRAFT’S JPI 830 GRAPHICAL ENGINE MONITOR AND OBSERVED THAT THE #1 CYLINDER EGT WAS MISSING FROM THE INSTRUMENT’S CHART, AND THAT #1 CYLINDER CHT WAS FALLING RAPIDLY. THE PILOT STATED THAT AT THIS POINT, HE KNEW THE #1 CYLINDER HAD FAILED. THE PILOT THEN CONTACTED POTOMAC APPROACH AND REQUESTED ASSISTANCE WITH FINDING A SUITABLE LANDING SITE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE CONTINUED TO HAVE PARTIAL POWER BUT WAS NOT CERTAIN IF THE AIRCRAFT COULD HOLD ALTITUDE FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME AS THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO VIBRATE STRONGLY. THE PILOT STATED THAT POTOMAC PROVIDED INFORMATION ON STAFFORD AIRPORT, WHICH HE STATED WAS BEYOND THE GLIDE DISTANCE FOR HIS AIRCRAFT, AT HIS CURRENT POSITION AND ALTITUDE. THE PILOT REQUESTED TO LAND AT QUANTICO AS IT WAS WITHIN THE GLIDING DISTANCE OF HIS AIRCRAFT. POTOMAC APPROACH ASSISTED IN COORDINATING WITH QUANTICO PERSONNEL AND THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO SAFELY LAND ON RUNWAY 20 AT APPROXIMATELY 1910 LOCAL TIME.
AFTER LANDING THE PILOT STATED THAT HE TURNED OFF THE RUNWAY AT TAXIWAY C, TURNED RIGHT ON TAXIWAY B AND SHUT DOWN THE AIRCRAFT. SHORTLY AFTER EXITING THE AIRPLANE, HE REMOVED THE COWL AND OBSERVED THAT THE #1 FUEL INJECTOR LINE WAS BROKEN AND DISCONNECTED AT THE BASE OF THE LINE NEAR THE INJECTOR.