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Thread: Emergency Off Field Landing

  1. #1
    Agfoxflyer's Avatar
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    Default Emergency Off Field Landing

    Sunday I was flying for about 35 minutes when I heard a loud "thunk". At first I thought I had hit a large bird, but the deaffening silence told me I had no power. I had just checked guages a minute or so before, oil temp and pressure good. I was 1200 ft AGL cruising about 4000 rpm 4 miles west of my home airprort CZL thinking about turning in for a 45 to downwind on runway 35. Out the left side was a large ag field so I went throught my emergency procedures shutting everything down (don't remember doing half of it!) made a normal downwind, base and final. I did some agressive slipping to get down to the field but wasn't necessary in the end. Normal smooth landing and rolled out about 250 feet. At that point I crossed a shallow depression and it turned me left and rolled another 20 feet. Absolutly no damage to the pilot or aircraft. Upon getting out of the AC, found no oil underneath. The prop now free wheels. After about fifteen minutes oil started dripping out. Upon removing top cowling oil was coming from a broken fitting at the block. The fitting was still attached but oil coming out around the fitting. Don't know if it broke when the engine stopped immediately. I did have both cowls off two weeks again and check all fittings and wires, etc and this was my next flight. The engine is locked up. Someone speculated something broke in the gear box. It is a 912ULS with no cluth. Engine has 76 hours on it. By the time I got it back to the hanger it was too dark to see much so next weekend I'll go do further investigation.
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    David E.
    Woodstock, Georgia
    N97DE S5 TD Flying

    N97KE RV-9A Sold
    N96KE RV10 Sold
    Rans S21 Helping Brother Build (Selling)
    Vans RV-14A (On Order)

  2. #2
    Super Moderator Av8r3400's Avatar
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    Default Re: Emergency Off Field Landing

    Good decisions and good off-field landing. Glad you are okay.

    Keep us in the loop on what happened with your motor...
    Av8r3400
    Kitfox Model IV
    The Mangy Fox
    912UL 105hp Zipper
    YouTube Videos

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Emergency Off Field Landing

    Well done. Having had the same experience I can appreciate the surprise and then the process of flying her in. I am glad your outcome was so good. Again, well done.

    robin g

  4. #4
    Senior Member Dorsal's Avatar
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    Default Re: Emergency Off Field Landing

    So what happened????
    Dorsal ~~^~~
    Series 7 - Tri-Gear
    912 ULS Warp Drive

  5. #5
    Agfoxflyer's Avatar
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    Default Re: Emergency Off Field Landing

    Dorsal,

    Still not sure. The engine had plenty of oil. I have talked to a couple of Rotax repair guys and they say about the only thing that will stop a 912 like that is lack of oil. They did say remote possiblity something in the gear box broke but doubtful. Also speculation that the oil was not circulating. But no indications of problems from the guages prior.I have pulled the magnetic plug and it is normal. Also cut open the oil filter and used a magnet and no metal at all. My brother and I are finshing a RV-9A and scheduled to move it out of my shop in a couple of weeks to a paint shop. When it's gone I will bring the Kitfox back home and first pull the gear box. Which brings up a question. Rotax instructions say to find top dead center of cyl #1 and use the locking pin to index the gears. Since my prop free wheels and the engine is locked I can't do that. Will the gear box come off without doing that, or do the gears need to be aligned somehow? Anybody know? As soon as I find out something I will give a full report.
    David E.
    Woodstock, Georgia
    N97DE S5 TD Flying

    N97KE RV-9A Sold
    N96KE RV10 Sold
    Rans S21 Helping Brother Build (Selling)
    Vans RV-14A (On Order)

  6. #6
    Senior Member Slyfox's Avatar
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    felts field, spokane
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    Default Re: Emergency Off Field Landing

    I would think just pull it off. I had a 912ul on my fox for a long time and took the gear box off a few times, mainly to replace the wore out washers inside from use. Also I took it off to replace the front seal. I did nothing with indexing the gears??? It should just come right off.
    steve
    slyfox
    model IV 1200-flying
    912uls
    IVO medium in-flight
    RV7A-flying
    IO-360
    constant speed prop

  7. #7
    Administrator DesertFox4's Avatar
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    Default Re: Emergency Off Field Landing

    When I had to remove my gearbox from my 912S I don't recall indexing anything. Just removed the 8 bolts and it came off pretty easily. Maybe had to tap with a rubber hammer to break the seal.


    DesertFox4
    Admin.
    7 Super Sport
    912 ULS Tri-gear


  8. #8
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    Default Re: Emergency Off Field Landing

    Hey Agfox, So what's the verdict? James Thomas

  9. #9
    Senior Member Dorsal's Avatar
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    Default Re: Emergency Off Field Landing

    inquiring minds want to know
    Dorsal ~~^~~
    Series 7 - Tri-Gear
    912 ULS Warp Drive

  10. #10
    Agfoxflyer's Avatar
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    Default Re: Emergency Off Field Landing

    No new news yet. My brother and I have been on a push to get the RV-9A ready for the paint shop. We will move it out of the "aircraft factory" in the basement next Saturday and on to the paint shop, then the airport and inspection. That will make room for the Kitfox in the basement next weekend. I plan to pull the gear box first. Several people have looked at it and seem to thing it might be a gear box failure. Just don't know. Not being able to fly sux.
    David E.
    Woodstock, Georgia
    N97DE S5 TD Flying

    N97KE RV-9A Sold
    N96KE RV10 Sold
    Rans S21 Helping Brother Build (Selling)
    Vans RV-14A (On Order)

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