|
Mike,
I don't know the circumstances.
This occurred in the IV-P that Orin Riddel built and I believe it happened one
of the first times he used that tank. I don't have an IO-550, so I don't
know anything about it's fuel pump. All I can guess is that with the
engine at operating RPM, it creates much more suction than at idle. I
don't know if the boost pump was in use at the time, but that would have surely
made the vacuum even stronger. I can't recall if Orin told me that
his line was actually blocked or his vent hose got kinked. I can ask him
if you'd like more details.
Sadly, Orin sold that plane
shortly after it was done with testing and he personally trained the buyer of
it. About a month later the buyer was killed in it during a
forced landing caused by fuel starvation. I heard they found
his fuel selector valve positioned half way between left and
right.
Skip
|