Not that I really wanted to experience an engine failure on takeoff, or any other time, but that’s what happened this afternoon. Good ending, had lots of runway left and put it down safely.
I had just flown up to Hinton/Jasper CEC4 by way of going up the middle of the Rockies. Engine has been really rough taxiing when hot, and at low power. It was a bit rough as I pulled onto the runway. 5500’ density altitude but I went full mixture and pushed in the power for my flight home. Pretty much as soon as I pulled the nose up I had a really hard stumble with significant power loss. Immediately pulled the throttle and settled it down. It was airborne but not by much. Engine quit outright as I was stopping. Fuel pressure callouts the whole time. I managed to start it again with a bunch of fuel and a flooded start procedure. Ran terrible, good temps on #1, low on #2 and cold on #3/4. Nursed it to the apron and shut it down.
My engine builder thinks it’s the fuel servo, calibration or failure. He’s flying up tomorrow to get it fixed up, I’m settled safely in a hotel for the night. Very glad that this happened when it did, not very friendly area for off field landings.
Did I mention that the flight up was spectacular and that I nailed the landing in very sporty winds?
I had just flown up to Hinton/Jasper CEC4 by way of going up the middle of the Rockies. Engine has been really rough taxiing when hot, and at low power. It was a bit rough as I pulled onto the runway. 5500’ density altitude but I went full mixture and pushed in the power for my flight home. Pretty much as soon as I pulled the nose up I had a really hard stumble with significant power loss. Immediately pulled the throttle and settled it down. It was airborne but not by much. Engine quit outright as I was stopping. Fuel pressure callouts the whole time. I managed to start it again with a bunch of fuel and a flooded start procedure. Ran terrible, good temps on #1, low on #2 and cold on #3/4. Nursed it to the apron and shut it down.
My engine builder thinks it’s the fuel servo, calibration or failure. He’s flying up tomorrow to get it fixed up, I’m settled safely in a hotel for the night. Very glad that this happened when it did, not very friendly area for off field landings.
Did I mention that the flight up was spectacular and that I nailed the landing in very sporty winds?