The private pilot was going to practice touch-and-go landings in the Side Winder. During the first takeoff, he smelled engine coolant. As he turned onto the downwind leg, the engine lost total power.
Unable to reach the runway, he chose to conduct a forced landing in a field near Paynesville, Minnesota, seriously injuring the pilot.
Although he said he checked the engine coolant level during the preflight inspection, a post-accident examination of the airplane revealed an insufficient amount of coolant in the reservoir. The radiator did not contain any coolant, and no leaks were detected in the coolant system. No other anomalies were noted with the engine.
Given the small amount of coolant in the system and the lack of any leaks, it is likely the pilot did not ensure that a sufficient amount of coolant was in the engine reservoir before takeoff, which resulted in the engine getting too hot and the engine control module shutting down the engine as designed.
Probable cause: The pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection, during which he failed to ensure that there was sufficient coolant in the engine reservoir, which resulted in the engine getting too hot and the engine control module shutting down the engine.
NTSB Identification: CEN17LA117
This March 2017 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
Where did the coolant go? I’ve ran a lot of equipment, and always if it overheats it’s the drivers fault, and that’s just not so!!
Notice this: “The pilot reported he flew to the Paynesville Municipal Airport (PEX), with the intention of performing touch and go landings.”
Now, this means that the pilot had done the preflight at 8Y6 before getting to PEX airport where he commenced doing touch and goes, and on the first one, the pilot smelled engine coolant. We do not know any of the following:
* Was there a thermostat? Did it stick closed? If it did, this will force coolant “overboard” (into an overflow reservoir?).
* Was the coolant system PRESSURE tested as part of the crash inspection to determine if it had a leak in it?
Assuming that what the pilot had said is true, he had checked the coolant level (implication being it was correct), then during the flight to PEX, which at 160KTs, about 12 minutes (33Nm apart) including taxi/run up at 8Y6, that engine/coolant system could have dumped coolant overboard that the pilot would not smell until applying power for take-off at PEX for the first take-off out of a landing (first touch and go).
This concerns me because of certain engines that are being looked at for aircraft (to be certified) that must have coolant besides oil. So if the NTSB & FAA and perhaps an A&P mechanic did an eye-ball test for coolant…. They won’t find such a leak. You have to do a pressure test which automobile/truck mechanics know about. There are not that many A&P mechs that work with liquid cooled engines (not talking about oil here). The problem is, the radiator could have had a hole in it from “FOD” during the initial take-off.
Another thing is, pilots who fly aircraft with engines having liquid coolant, must include the coolant temp in their scan. My 2018 FAR/AIM does not have an index entry for “coolant” or “water cooled” to give any guidance on this. However, 91.205 b.6 requires a temp gauge for each liquid cooled engine.
If you are operating a vehicle and you see the oil or water temp gauges head for the red-line, you know you have a problem. If turning on the heat (assuming that a “heater core” was used and not a exhaust manifold system), causes the temperature rise to slow down, then you probably have a stuck closed thermostat. If you turn on the heat and nothing happens, you probably don’t have any coolant.
Accordingly, I do not think this crash was properly investigated.
It would sound like he did not have one of the critical instruments for a liquid cooled engine, coolant pressure. If you are losing coolant that is your early warning prior to rising temp. Just check the array of aircraft instruments that are available and you will find coolant pressure along with coolant temperature. It is cheap insurance.
ur kidding right?
a system designed to protect the engine not the pilot?
also pilot smelled the leak
i doubt sys was filled and pressure tested after accident
This aircraft had a Chevrolet LS-1 engine, hence the control module that shut down the engine if it overheated.
Yup, the GM engines will shut off and the car will coast to a stop. So, for aircraft use, the control module should have been modified to reduce power , not shut down.
Also, from the ntsb docket this guy had an expired medical and no bfr within the last 2 years…he’s 71 yrs old. So, he shouldn’t have been flying.
And who flies a pattern where he can’t reach the runway from the downwind…stupid pilot.!
So because he’s 71 years old he shouldn’t be flying??
My thought exactly.
I believe JH meant that because his medical and BFR were expired he shouldn’t be flying, not because he was 71 years old.
Why mention the age then?
Because he was attempting to infer diminished capacity due to his age. Keep in mind they let airline pilots fly until close to that age. Oh and think back a ways to the Bob Hover debacle when a pissed off FAA type made a claim of mental degradation which was overwhelmingly proven to completely false but that took time, money and the rest of the airshow performers coming to his aid.
The other two points brought up are valid though and for those reasons he should not have been flying, This was just an attempt to smear the pilot with prejudice against the older pilot community.
Exactly my original point.