My engine partial/forced landing.....on video

Generally, there are two failure modes while in service. Fuel fouled and oil fouled. Aviation engines run very rich compared to auto engines, and it's important to protect from fuel fouling, and cases where the little lead balls can accumulate on the insulators and provide a path for grounding. However, having all of them fail at once is pretty unheard of.

I'm thinking the plug failure is a symptom and not a cause, and not root cause. Gonna have to keep looking at various elements of the engine and systems.

<edit: this leads me to think there was an over-rich condition that wasn't detected on take off. Nothing could be done about it until the condition fouled the plugs and took the power off.
 
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funkster9 said:
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BREAKING UPDATE: FAA got there after I left. Just got a call. 10 failing spark plugs. Last annual in late July and 35hrs. Our EX-A&P just may be in some trouble.
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Hmmm.. The plane did it's runup prior to takeoff with normal rpm drops, you take off full power and it runs great for 30 seconds and then 10 out of 12 plugs fail ?:dunno::dunno:.... puzzling for sure.:yes:
 
HighFlyingA380 said:
Quick question about all this: Why was the FAA even notified? It sounds to me like what happened doesn't fall under any part of 830.5 which outlines the notification requirements. And regardless of it did fall under those parameters, why was this reported to the FAA and not the NTSB? http://www.aerolegalservices.com/Articles/Aircraft Accident-Incident Reporting.shtml
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This was an interesting learning experience with regard to that. The first call to me 30 minutes after the landing was from the NTSB. Once he determined that the event qualified as an "incident" and that nobody was injured, he transferred the investigation to the FAA. The field inspector confirmed this process the next day. The NTSB has the mandate to investigate, but depending on the severity of the accident/incident outsources the work to the FAA. Once the FAA concludes their findings, they submit it back to the NTSB who issues the final report.
 
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The only way I see the theory matching reality is via massive detonation. Video sure didn't seem to indicate that. And there's be a whole lot more damage than just the plugs.
 
denverpilot said:
The only way I see the theory matching reality is via massive detonation. Video sure didn't seem to indicate that. And there's be a whole lot more damage than just the plugs.
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Agreed..... Now... if the fuel sample comes back with a contamination of Jet A mixed with 100LL then all bets are off. The pistons will show visual signs of detonation for sure..:eek:
 
I know a LOT of people who are having a LOT of problems with Champions these days. But 10 of 'em?
 
Well, FAA took the plugs and mags to test on their equipment. Although 10 of the 12 plugs were out of tolerance and needed replacement, they created sufficient spark for them to conclude that they did not cause my engine issue. Both mags also checked out too, so they have returned the parts back to my mechanic for further testing. Now looking like potential sticky valve, but we'll see. My mechanic is pretty backlogged, so everything moving frustratingly slow. I am eager to get this thing figured out and have our bird back in the air. I sure don't like the rental world.

More on the plugs: The positive and negative electrodes had lost half their mass. No cracked insulators. They were Champion massives with 6 years and ~500 hrs on them.
 
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funkster9 said:
Well, FAA took the plugs and mags to test on their equipment. Although 10 of the 12 plugs were out of tolerance and needed replacement, they created sufficient spark for them to conclude that they did not cause my engine issue. Both mags also checked out too, so they have returned the parts back to my mechanic for further testing. Now looking like potential sticky valve, but we'll see. My mechanic is pretty backlogged, so everything moving frustratingly slow. I am eager to get this thing figured out and have our bird back in the air. I sure don't like the rental world.

More on the plugs: The positive and negative electrodes had lost half their mass. No cracked insulators. They were Champion massives with 6 years and ~500 hrs on them.
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Thanks, good luck with it.
 
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