First Emergency (Long post)

I was flying from MBO (Madison MS) to L31 (Covington LA) to meet my
sister for dinner, and get some night time hours on the return trip. I
have done this trip many times.

Left Madison at 5:00 p.m. with an expected arrival at 6:15. I am
starting my IFR training, so figured to really focus on holding altitude
and heading working on "precision flying". I was doing great all along
the trip, and looking ahead, saw major buildups in my path. Called
122.00 and asked for an inflight advisory. Weather was moving SSW and
though close, they said I should make my destination. Little did I know
the weather would be the least of my concerns.

15 miles from my destination cruising at 3500, I got a horrible
vibration throughout the engine. First thing I did was put the carb
heat on. Made the vibration even worse. I held the carb heat for about
10 seconds, and turned it off. Immediately saw a "target farm field"
should I need it and never let it leave my sight. Next, switched tanks,
no change in vibration. Next fuel pump, no change. Next, checked my
mags, left, then right, no change in vibration.

Next, turned to 121.5 and said, This is Sundowner 12345L declaring an
emergency, anybody monitoring the frequency. As I am doing this, I am
setting myself up for the "best glide" speed of 78 knots. Guard
responds with Sundowner 12345L, go ahead with your emergency. I replied
back, I have an extremely rough running engine, I am 12 miles from
destination, I have an alternative field in site should I need it, I
will be sqawking 7700. I then turn the transponder to 7700. In this
short time, I lost 500 valuable feet altitude.

As I reduced my power, and enriched the engine, trying different "power"
settings, I noticed the vibration reduced somewhat. I watched my VSI,
and noticed that I was able to "maintain" a 200 foot descent. Quick
math in my head said, I had "15 minutes" flying time if I left my
configuration the way it was, and now I was 10 miles from destination.
121.5 gets New Orleans approach, and New Orleans approach gets on 121.5
and tells me to squawk 4026. I acknowledge New Orleans approach, change
my transponder to 4026, and said to New Orleans approach, that I have a
stable 200 foot descent rate, engine is running rough, and my intentions
is to proceed on to L31. Once I made my decision, I pretty much left
what I had going alone. 4 miles out, I said "New Orleans approach,
Sundowner 12345L request to change to 122.80. New Orleans approach said
frequency change approved, please call FSS to let us know you are safe
on the ground. I said Sundowner 12345. will call FSS after touchdown.
I set the radio to 122.80, called in Unicom and said, St Tamminy
Sundowner 12345L declaring an emergency, inbound for runway 18 straight
in approach. In my nervousnous, New Orleans approach says, Sundowner
12345L, you are still transmitting on 121.5. Duh, helps to change the
button from Com 1 to Com 2. So, I switch coms, and repeat my broadcast.

2 miles out, see that I am way too high for straight in, I decided
instead of a straight in approach, that I would enter on the downwind
leg, and proceed to use runway 36 to lose my altitude. I announce on
122.80, Saint Tamminy, Sundowner 12345L declaring emergency, changing
intentions, entering downwind for 36. I left my power settings the way
I had it, for the first half of downwind, and then abeam the numbers, I
reduced the power ever so slowly, and also enriched the mixture ever so
slowly. Engine got rougher, but kept running. Trimmed for landing,
extended first set of flaps, and the second set of flaps on downwind. I
did this so all I had to do was realy concentrate on flying the plane
for base and final rather then "finess the plane". Kept my downwind
closer to the runway then normal and turn base much sooner then normal.
On final, I was 1200 feet above field elevation. On final, I heard that
little voice say, better to hit the trees at the end of the runway then
the beginning, so I made sure, that I had a higher then normal approach.

Seeing I was way high, I put in full right rudder, full left aileron,
and pretty much turn the plane perpendicular to the runway. Slip worked
great, ears starting popping on descent, and when I cleared the trees,
turned forward. Saw I was still too high, returned to the slip, for
another 5 to 10 seconds, and then straightened out. Cross the numbers
about 25 feet AGL, speed, just above glide speed, cut the throttle to a
fast idle. I get major vibration in the engine Started to lower the
nose, felt my speed increase, and then raised the nose. Hit ground
effect, halfway down the runway, ballooned to about 5 feet above the
ground, I raised the nose to bleed off the speed, landed on the last
third of the runway. Runway is 2999 feet, so I knew I wasn't stopping
at the end of the runway, applied firm brakes, rolled off the runway,
with the yoke clear to my chest. I was able to stop about 50 feet after
leaving the end of the runway in hard ground with about knee high
grass.

Engine was really rough, I turn around and limp back to the ramp,
airframe and gear fully intact. Go to shut down, and the engine did not
want to shut down. It finally shut down. My brother in law was waiting
for me at the airport (he is a pilot), we decide to start up the engine
to see if he could figure out the problem. Engine was rough on idle,
tried to increase RPMs, but the best we could get is 1800, so we shut
down.

We start calling A&P's around the area, and finally found one that could
come out the next day. After describing the symptoms, first thing she
thought was a fuel related problem, and asked me the usual questions,
did I sump, did I see water, and so on. Nothing in the fuel, I told her
runup was absolutely normal.

She pokes around the engine, pulling all fuel related hoses, saw lines
and screens were clear, so next, she pulled the prop through and found
that a cylinder lost all compressions. So, now the obviouse occurred,
now to find why.... She pulled the cylinder out, and after opening the
cylinder, we saw an unbelievable sight. Piston head had shards of metal
pounded in it from the exhuast valve, even more amazing was the cylinder
walls were smooth, and rings remained intact! She suspected that most
of the exhaust valve was ejected out the exhaust pipe as she found
fragments of metal through the exhaust manifold but very little in the
intake portion of the engine. Problem "solved" so we thought, replace
the cylinder, and off I go.

She comes back the next day, installed the cylinder, changed the oil,
leak tested the engine and closed the cowling, she wanted to go up with
me, as she had never been in a Sundowner. It is dark by this time, and
while she was getting her tools together, I preflight. I taxi to the
runway, call unicom to advise that I was backtaxing to 36. The runway
has a runup area at the very end of the runway, I do the runup, all
looks good. I get to the end of 36, and the A&P says, before departing,
I need you to do a full throttle test. I hold the brakes, put the
throttle full forward, and only get 2200 RPM. POH requires 2700. She
says, lean it a tad, see what happens. No change to RPM. Lean it more,
EGT and CHT goes up, engine starts running "normal rough". Needless to
say, not good. She says taxi back to the ramp. No flying tonight. We
taxi back, we pull the cowl. She says, the engine is acting like it is
getting too much hot air for the RPMs not to go full throttle,
reverifies the duct work, and all looks good. Last thing to look at is
the carberator as the engine was purring like a kitten, just could not
get 2700 RPM. We called it the night (11:00 p.m.)

She said, I had a better chance at winning the lotto then what happened
to me. The carberator was the top of the line carberator, and she said
in the 19 years she has been an A&P, she has never pulled one from an
engine. So, today, she pulls the carberator, and she tears it down.
She noticed that the lever to the throttle would not push full forward.
It would go it's full range. She felt that due to the severe vibration,
something in the carberator shook loose, and is preventing the full
extension of the throttle cable. So, now I need a new carberator put
in.

Seeing the forest through the trees, I figure the outcome was as good as
it got, considering the catastropic engine problem I experienced.

One thing I cannot thank my instructor enough was to instill the "what
if scenarios", as when it really happened, I heard him in my mind say,
make a decision, stick to it, but most importantly FLY THE PLANE.

The only thing I could not do during this entire episode is to pull the
POH for emergency procedures. I found as the real thing happens, you
don't have time to pull a book, find the chapter, and go to the list.
My first instinct was to do what I could remember (I studied my POH big
time when I bought the plane, and refer to it frequently, to be sure I
know what to do) and FLY THE PLANE.

I have an emergency checklist seperate, but in reality, the time it
takes to pull the list, get yourself oriented, you lose very valuable
time when you are in the plane by yourself. It may have been different
if I had a passenger, but when I was alone, I relied on my memory.
(which as it turned out was not so bad *smile*.

I could have possibley diverted to another airport in Slidell LA in
"gliding range" with a longer runway, but the thunderstorms that I saw
were over that airport, so I ruled out trying to make it to that
airport.

In "hangar" talk, I asked some pilots, should I file an ASR report. It
was split down the middle, some said yes, some said no. I am leaning on
filing a report.

Allen

Good story, glad you came out safe. Thanks for sharing.

Ricky

I don't like that idea much. Seems to me if the engine is running rough
then it is probably hurting itself. Unless an A&P wants to see it running
I'd be glad to get it shut down without having it throw a rod or damage
an engine mount.

Can you really get 2700RPM static? A Skyhawk won't turn 2550 RPM
sitting at the end of the runway with the brakes on.

--
Ben Jackson
<b...@ben.com>
http://www.ben.com/

In retrospect, you are so right. My only rational was at the time, we
thought fuel related issues (water in the tank and so on). So we
"thought" that it would clear the engine.

Good question, as I never had done full power static "on my own". I
will find out for sure after all is said and done. I will post the
results after the repairs are made.

Allen

Bob Gardner

"A Lieberman" <lieb...@myself.com> wrote in message
news:3F1A2D...@myself.com...

Very much noted Bob. I will be sure to let my brother in law know.

My brother in law is a pilot, and he will ferry the plane back to
Madison. I asked him to fly it around the airport for an hour with the
mechanic, and the next day to bring it up to Madison, where I will fly
him back home and fly back myself. This will work some time on the
plane.

I was told to fly it 25 hours, then change the oil. I am expecting
metal in the oil for the next few oil changes, but it should be minimal.

Allen

Great job, thanks for sharing!

Just a couple of mechanical points. Broken exhaust valves are an
endemic problem in the Grumman fleet, so we hear a lot of stories.

Something to beware of: one owner thought that all the valves
went out the exhaust manifold. But, fragments had worked into
other cylinders and scored them up. So, I would at a minimum
have the mechanic take a look at all the cylinders. Possibly
w/ a borescope you could see enough through the spark plug holes
or, it's not too big of a deal to drop an exhaust valve.

If one exhaust valve was worn enough to break, you might
also consider having the rest tested (Lycoming SB388B). Call
Lycoming for a copy (or check Greg Travis web site
http://www.prime-mover.org ). The Aircraft Spruce tool may
be worth the purchase price in the time it saves, if you're
paying someone to do it.

If the cylinder walls are smooth and mic out OK, might it be
possible to save some money by just having a new valve guide
and valve pressed in and new piston? We've found two exhaust
valves on the edge of breaking (SB388B) and it wasn't worth
it in our case because we have nu-chrome cylinders which were
worn at the top, only a couple hundred more hours on 'em.
But if you've got a solid new cylinder, might be something
to consider -- if not now, keep the cylinder, price the work,
and have it done as a spare. Just thoughts.

Good luck!
Sydney

Hi Sydney,

Couple of questions, a mechanic I am not....

Even though I am asking questions, I am getting my A&P to get a good
look at the engine and give me recommendations when I get the plane back
to my home based FBO.... What you cannot see can hurt if one is not too
careful.....

The cylinder walls looked real well in the field, but to get me flying
(airplane is currently at the "destination" airport, we installed a
rebuilt / refurbished cylinder.

If the other cylinder walls were scored from fragmented metal, would
this show up on a compression test?

I do have a "base" to go on, as since I have had the plane, I have had
two compression tests done. The lowest cylinder (happened to be the one
that swallowed the exhaust valve) was 74. The on field A&P said that as
long as the compressions remain above 65 out of 80, I should be OK for
the other cylinders. She said to expect metal for the next two oil
changes, she recommended doing an oil change in 25 hours, which I will
have done.

Allen

Me neither caveat lector

Allen, I already responded in email because I didn't realize that
was just a copy of a post.

But for the rest of the group: the problem with this approach
is that if there is a problem such as metal from the valve stuck
elsewhere in the engine, by the time you get the plane back to
your home base FBO it will be far too late.

I would suggest calling Lycoming or a good overhaul shop like
Penn Yan, tell them you had an exhaust valve break and much of
the metal is un-accounted for, and ask what they suggest in the
way of checks.

Not necessarily to my understanding. It will depend upon
where they are scored and where the compression test is done
(usually only at one location, "top dead center")

We have now broken in 3 cylinders. All three broke in in less
than 10 hrs based on EGTs/CHTs. At 10 hrs we changed the oil.
Subsequent oil changes had no metal in filter or on SOAP (oil
analysis). FWIW.

Good luck,
Sydney

--
Jack Allison
PP-ASEL

"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the Earth
with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there
you will always long to return"
- Leonardo Da Vinci

(Remove the obvious from address to reply via e-mail)

I was thinking the same thing. I don't think you'll see much more than 2300
RPM with the brakes on. I would believe that the type of prop can affect
this too (cruise/climb).

I once aborted a take off because someone put a cruise prop on the plane I
usually flew. Only developed 2100-2200 RPM's even halfway down the runway
(3000 ft runway).

-Trent
PP-ASEL