flyrotary@lancaironline.net Mailing List Archive

Yes, the engine quit monentarily (.5-1 Sec) when I cycled the pump select-switch. Engine was running just fine with all temperatures normal, 5600 rpm at 21-22" mp; was airborn approximately 12 minutes before I cycled the pump.

I thought I smelled fuel because original issue was fuel pump but it was likely the hot oil instead ... the oil definetly came out in-flight.

The connector was a push-on type, "Aeroquip-socketless" fittings with blue hose; bought from Summit I can't find original receipts.

The airplane was a Wag-Aero 2+2, high-wing, rag and tube.

Jeff

From:	Kelly Troyer <keltro@gmail.com>
Subject:	Re: [FlyRotary] Re: One rotary down and out
Date:	Sun, 24 Jun 2012 08:32:56 -0500
To:	Rotary motors in aircraft <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>

Jeff,

Again "Good Flying" and thankfully you just Shaken up..............Sounds like push on hose was a secondary failure

like you said or perhaps a result of the crash (Oil on the belly would have had to happen in the air though).............

The 13B quit when you shut off one fuel pump but resumed running when switched back on (is that correct) for

another couple of minutes after you smelled fuel and it quit for good............Will be interesting what failure you may

find in the fuel system...............Again thankful you are OK..............

Kelly Troyer

From: Jeff Whaley
Sent: June 24, 2012 6:52 AM
To: 'Rotary motors in aircraft'
Subject: One rotary down and out

Sorry to post bad news guys but need to share this with you form a safety perspective.

Anyway what happened ... engine failure, prop stopped went into a corn field and flipped over.
I have 2 fuel pumps; decided to turn 1 off, when I did the engine quit - pump back on okay - repeated same result.
5 miles from home base I headed back, radioed inbound, 1 minute later I thought I smelled fuel and another 1 minute later the engine quit. Trimmed the airplane, mayday and glided straight ahead. Lots of corn and a few soya bean fields around but didn't want to land in them, saw a gravel road and turned to line up on it, pulled on full flaps for minimum landing speed, when I turned final there was a huge elm tree on the right edge at my expected touch down point, so at 100' I turned left into the field which was corn ... everything was going great until I hit the corn. Thankfully the seats belts and shoulder harnesses did their job; upside down I released the belts and got out of there fast.

Walked out, phoned police and after they arrived authorities wanted the ELT shut off so we walked back to the airplane; when I got there I saw oil all over the bottom of fuselage. Checked engine and found the oil-out line (push-lock connector) hanging loose. I expect what happened is when the engine quit and restarted those 2 times that sent a burst of oil pressure and blew the hose off ... I pushed it back on and it would not pull back off again. I had heard some guys were putting heat shrink or other back-up systems on these connectors; I wish now I had used a simple stainless worm clamp. Engine and redrive will be toast, airplane is substantially damaged ... I'll salvage what I can.
Jeff

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