PA-28 Cherokee/Archer/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Flight Crew Commercial; Maintenance Airframe; Maintenance Powerplant
Maintenance Technician 1
Fatigue; Human-Machine Interface; Training / Qualification
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
Flight Crew Inflight Shutdown; Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition
Aircraft; Human Factors
I finished installing a new replacement EGT on the aircraft and took it for a test flight to find peak richness for the engine. I was solo in flight for 10 minutes at 3;000 MSL (1;800 AGL) north of the airport. I was leaning the mixture using the vernier on the mixture knob and watching the EGT needle rise. Then the engine quit and I immediately gave it full mixture and full throttle. Since I was testing the EGT gauge I thought I had made the engine too lean and caused the shut down. Leaning the mixture has always been something I have been timid about as a pilot. I know the engine will sputter when it becomes too lean and that did not occur when it shut down in flight; but I thought; 'I guess peak came and went (even though I was doing about three vernier half-twists at a time)'. When that did not bring back the engine I attempted two air starts by lowering the nose for good airflow over the prop and using the starter button and magnetos. The ignition key I was using was on a key ring with about 30 other keys and caused me trouble when trying to be timely wile losing altitude. This was the first time I had an engine quit on me in the air and I recently became current one month ago with a flight review. I did not look for the Emergency Checklist; but I had been using the checklist up to that point which had me operating on main tanks. When I was about 750 FT AGL I made the decision I was going to land it in a field with out the engine running. I made a radio call and a soft field landing; shutdown; got out and inspected the plane and the fuel tanks. The main tank I was burning from had run out of fuel; however there was abundant fuel in both wing tip tanks. I turned the fuel selector to the left tip tank and started the engine. I performed a soft field takeoff and returned to the airport for a full stop landing. The aircraft was inspected at the airport with no damage found; and the ELT checked ensuring it had not been triggered. I should have dipped the fuel tanks instead of just looking at the levels before the flight and made sure I had the required amount of fuel in the main tank. I also thought the system fed into other tanks. I got my private pilot certificate in 2009 on a Piper Warrior and had flown Seminoles and Arrows since then; the Seminoles I know have a crossfeed. I was not proficient on the fuel system for that aircraft and I did not try the fuel selector in the air after the engine had quit. As a mechanic I have only done post maintenance run-ups and this was my first test flight. I should have been more thorough on the ground and known the (fuel) systems better as a pilot. At that point [mid-]week I had already worked 27 hours between two jobs. I think I was tired/complacent; and I was in the mindset of hurry to get the flight done to get to work on other aircraft as our hangar is full and had been hearing how we needed to get planes out the door. I will never again allow myself to encounter fuel starvation. It will be an emphasis for me to have more than sufficient fuel on board always with weight and balance taken into account; and I will know the Emergency Checklist and remember to operate the fuel selector in a similar situation.
PA28 pilot/mechanic on a post maintenance test flight reports engine failure at 1;800 FT AGL followed by an off airport landing. Post flight reveals the main tanks to be empty with plenty of fuel in the tip tanks. The fuel selector is moved to the left tip tank and the aircraft is flown back to base.