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Thread: Causes of Forced Landings

  1. #21

    Default Re: Causes of Forced Landings

    In my case it was pilot/preflight error. Series 5 Kitfox, went out for a late evening short flight, one tank had about 4 gallons and the other maybe 5. I was only planning on about an hour flight all close to my airport so off i went. About 45 minutes into the flight I was flying at about 800 agl and she went silent. this is one of those times where we realize we've got someone watching out for us, i had just made the decision to turn east and fly over a friends house rather than turning west which would have taken me over some bad terrain including a couple small lakes. Fortunately my friends house included a runway which i was able to make a 180 degree turn, slip and land on. The problem was that the only tank that got turned on was the one with only 4 gallons of fuel and my header tank low fuel warning light had failed!!! It was one of those in a hurry, not long till dark, etc etc... mistakes. In my case it all turned out ok but it could have been not so pretty!! The surprising thing was the lack of panic when it happened, i remember my knees starting to knock but not till after i was on the ground. Just remember...PREFLIGHT...

  2. #22
    Senior Member Slyfox's Avatar
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    felts field, spokane
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    Default Re: Causes of Forced Landings

    talk about fuel warning light. I remember a few years ago on my way back from arlington air show and the engine went quiet. Seems I forgot to switch tanks and one went empty. I quickly switched tanks, really not knowing what the cause was, and the wife said, what do we do know, I came back with, if it doesn't start back up soon I'll turnback and land on the road behind us. Well it kicked and started back up. After making it back home I ordered up the low fuel the same day. The one I have is the float type, which I like very much for the way I check it is to grab a wing on the ground and rock the airplane and look at the light on the dash for it to come on and off. system checked. It's also amazing that particularly the right tank with the vent will stop flowing at 3 gal left in the tank. Got to watch that one.
    steve
    slyfox
    model IV 1200-flying
    912uls
    IVO medium in-flight
    RV7A-flying
    IO-360
    constant speed prop

  3. #23
    Russell320's Avatar
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    Chandler, AZ (P19)
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    Default Re: Causes of Forced Landings

    My speedster does the exact same thing. Low fuel light came on with what I thought was plenty of fuel in the right tank. Landed ASAP and fueled. That tank won't feed as well. My fuel light works great though.
    Last edited by Russell320; 02-18-2011 at 01:42 PM.
    Russ
    Model IV Speedster
    912UL IVO IFA
    RV6A
    Needle, Ball and Airspeed
    Maybe a little GPS

  4. #24
    Senior Member Slyfox's Avatar
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    felts field, spokane
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    Default Re: Causes of Forced Landings

    odly enough, I have experimented and found that only when you get down to about 3 gals of fuel and it stops flow, if you retrict the vent line it starts flowing again.

    don't leave that vent line restricted, not cut off by the way, or when you have a full tank, the header tank goes emty, that's what if found out anyway.
    Last edited by Slyfox; 02-18-2011 at 12:45 PM.
    steve
    slyfox
    model IV 1200-flying
    912uls
    IVO medium in-flight
    RV7A-flying
    IO-360
    constant speed prop

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