What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot narrative:
Pilot checked temperature using iphone application, showing -29F. Aircraft was plugged into engine heater for previous 24HR, buddy-heater was used in cowling prior to engine start with assistance of mechanics on-site. Engine started on first attempt and engine was runup with no abnormalities. Extra time was spent on the ground to ensure oil temperature reached operating temp.
Pilot taxied to use full length of runway 29.
On departure at approximately 400' AGL, the pilot noticed decreasing manifold pressure, approxiamtely 24" and 2500RPM. Pilot reported they were able to "pitch, switch and switch"-performing the emergency engine failure checklist items. Pilot reported that airspeed decreased further, to around 80KTS and that they started a turn for a landing spot at this time. They stated that some smoke was present coming from the engine area as the turn was initiated, but they did not remember the smell or smoke color. They stated that they were able to pick out a frozen slough to land on. The pilot executed an emergency landing on the frozen slough with no damage to the aircraft.
Investigation into surrounding temperature readings from weather stations shows temperatures were close to, but not beyond the certificate holder cut-off of -30F. Aniak was not reporting temperature at the time. It is not suspected that temperatures were below certificate holder cut-off.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT NARRATIVE:
PILOT CHECKED TEMPERATURE USING IPHONE APPLICATION, SHOWING -29F. AIRCRAFT WAS PLUGGED INTO ENGINE HEATER FOR PREVIOUS 24HR, BUDDY-HEATER WAS USED IN COWLING PRIOR TO ENGINE START WITH ASSISTANCE OF MECHANICS ON-SITE. ENGINE STARTED ON FIRST ATTEMPT AND ENGINE WAS RUNUP WITH NO ABNORMALITIES. EXTRA TIME WAS SPENT ON THE GROUND TO ENSURE OIL TEMPERATURE REACHED OPERATING TEMP.
PILOT TAXIED TO USE FULL LENGTH OF RUNWAY 29.
ON DEPARTURE AT APPROXIMATELY 400' AGL, THE PILOT NOTICED DECREASING MANIFOLD PRESSURE, APPROXIAMTELY 24" AND 2500RPM. PILOT REPORTED THEY WERE ABLE TO "PITCH, SWITCH AND SWITCH"-PERFORMING THE EMERGENCY ENGINE FAILURE CHECKLIST ITEMS. PILOT REPORTED THAT AIRSPEED DECREASED FURTHER, TO AROUND 80KTS AND THAT THEY STARTED A TURN FOR A LANDING SPOT AT THIS TIME. THEY STATED THAT SOME SMOKE WAS PRESENT COMING FROM THE ENGINE AREA AS THE TURN WAS INITIATED, BUT THEY DID NOT REMEMBER THE SMELL OR SMOKE COLOR. THEY STATED THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO PICK OUT A FROZEN SLOUGH TO LAND ON. THE PILOT EXECUTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON THE FROZEN SLOUGH WITH NO DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.
INVESTIGATION INTO SURROUNDING TEMPERATURE READINGS FROM WEATHER STATIONS SHOWS TEMPERATURES WERE CLOSE TO, BUT NOT BEYOND THE CERTIFICATE HOLDER CUT-OFF OF -30F. ANIAK WAS NOT REPORTING TEMPERATURE AT THE TIME. IT IS NOT SUSPECTED THAT TEMPERATURES WERE BELOW CERTIFICATE HOLDER CUT-OFF.
Other reports on N747SQ · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.