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Engine failure over the Hueco mointains,186 NM into my 209 NM flight leaving 23 NM to go. With a tailwind into El Paso.

 

Everything's fine one moment, suddenly engine turns off while climbing the mountain. Scrambling to get ATC on radio, squawking 7700 while diagnosing engine problems. Full throttle engine, revs and turbo over boosts. Then it quits 2nd time... reduce throttle, gently rev and it comes back stuttering. Turn on secondary fuel pump manipulating the throttle and eventually RPMs return to normal. Multiple calls to ATC and they tell me to stand by. Looking for a best place to land behind me into the wind wouldn't allow me to glide to a safe spot but rather into one of the crevices of the mountain where it would be difficult to find as I am about 2 hours away from sunset. 

 

Chose to climb and get as much altitude as possible hoping if the engine quit that I would be able to pull up high enough and point the bottom of the rotor blades into the wind and sail over the rest of the mountain and down into the El Paso valley where there are plenty more safe landing options.

 

After landing safely at El paso airport, engine won't run unless secondary fuel pump is on. After shutdown there is a clear difference between primary fuel pump and secondary fuel pump (sounds). Sounds like main fuel pump is toast... Now with either main or secondary fuel pump on fuel is spilling all over the ground through the overflow intake manifold drains. Spent over an hour taking it apart to look at fuel pumps in the firewall etc.... Turn main fuel pump back on and it sounds great, run the engine and everything checks out just fine.no changed. Potential clog? Maybe the clock made its way to the primary fuel filter and then into the carburetors causing the floats to stick open and then pour out of the intake manifold.

 

Any ideas thoughts or theories would be greatly appreciated

  • Re: Rotax 914 engine cutoff mid flight

    by » 3 years ago


    it happened to me on time last year .

    same septum's it did not accept full throtle and when reaches 4ooo it starts jerking and loosing power.

    i found out the fuel was contaminated and clogs the carburetors.

    i drained the whole tank, replaced the filters including the micro filters inside the pump and dis assembled the carburetors and cleaned them and it is much pitter now  .  


  • Re: Rotax 914 engine cutoff mid flight

    by » 3 years ago


    Glad you are on the ground safely.
    You mentioned a turbo and Carbs,  so will assume a 914.
    You mentioned a rotor so obviously some kind of rotorcraft.  Gyro?
    - - -
    Only one or BOTH Carbs overflowing?
    If only one, the engine should NOT have quit if one side was still good.
    IF BOTH Overflowing, I would suspect the Fuel pressure regulator stuck closed.
    The Fuel pump went into overpressure limit (~ 45psi with Bad sounds).
    The 45 psi overwhelmed the Floats and  BOTH carbs flooded out.


    Bill Hertzel
    Rotax 912is
    North Ridgeville, OH, USA
    Clicking the "Thank You" is Always Appreciated by Everyone.


    Thank you said by: Joe

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