I am the partial owner of a VANS RV-12 factory built SLA with a Rotax 912ULS engine. Last Saturday, we experienced a total in-flight engine failure due to oil exhaustion. Luckily, the pilot was close to the airport, kept his wits about him, and was able to dead stick the airplane back onto the runway.
Upon inspection, the bolt in the bottom of the oil pump that secures the oil pressure valve was found to have backed out of the oil pump. Once the bolt fell out, the engine ran for approximately six minutes before all oil was pumped out of the sump and the engine seized.
Given that this bolt is rarely, if ever, removed during service, and there is no Rotax requirement or recommendation to check the torque or presence of safety wire as part of an oil change, 100 hour, or annual inspection, it can be easily overlooked.
I highly recommend checking your engine immediately to ensure that this bolt is properly secured/safety wired and rechecking at each oil/filter change. Doing so at a minimum may save you from writing a $18k check for a new motor and ultimately may save a life.
It was pure chance that the pilot was close enough to the airport to perform a dead stick landing on the runway. An off airport arrival may not have been as successful.
The images below show the location of the bolt, the bolt as found, and the point on the engine where the bolt should have been safety wired.
Upon inspection, the bolt in the bottom of the oil pump that secures the oil pressure valve was found to have backed out of the oil pump. Once the bolt fell out, the engine ran for approximately six minutes before all oil was pumped out of the sump and the engine seized.
Given that this bolt is rarely, if ever, removed during service, and there is no Rotax requirement or recommendation to check the torque or presence of safety wire as part of an oil change, 100 hour, or annual inspection, it can be easily overlooked.
I highly recommend checking your engine immediately to ensure that this bolt is properly secured/safety wired and rechecking at each oil/filter change. Doing so at a minimum may save you from writing a $18k check for a new motor and ultimately may save a life.
It was pure chance that the pilot was close enough to the airport to perform a dead stick landing on the runway. An off airport arrival may not have been as successful.
The images below show the location of the bolt, the bolt as found, and the point on the engine where the bolt should have been safety wired.
IMG_4188.jpg (You do not have access to download this file.)
IMG_4186.jpg (You do not have access to download this file.)
IMG_4193.JPG (You do not have access to download this file.)
