DA40NG Lost Engine in IMC
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- Colin
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DA40NG Lost Engine in IMC
Plane and Pilot article complete with audio.
Cool as a cucumber. My non-pilot wife overheard me listening and said, "He sure is calm for a mayday."
Cool as a cucumber. My non-pilot wife overheard me listening and said, "He sure is calm for a mayday."
Colin Summers, PP Multi-Engine IFR, ~3,000hrs
colin@mightycheese.com * send email rather than PM
http://www.flyingsummers.com
N972RD DA42 G1000 2.0 s/n 42.AC100 (sold!)
N971RD DA40 G1000 s/n 40.508 (traded)
colin@mightycheese.com * send email rather than PM
http://www.flyingsummers.com
N972RD DA42 G1000 2.0 s/n 42.AC100 (sold!)
N971RD DA40 G1000 s/n 40.508 (traded)
- Boatguy
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Re: DA40NG Lost Engine in IMC
168LA on FlightAware. The engine died 6min into his climb out at 4,500'.
40.NC078. Airworthiness date of December 2019, registration of March 2020. Take Flight is a training academy and Diamond Service Center. Sold by Lifestyle so CFI-Dave probably knows the operator.
Very professional by all parties!
40.NC078. Airworthiness date of December 2019, registration of March 2020. Take Flight is a training academy and Diamond Service Center. Sold by Lifestyle so CFI-Dave probably knows the operator.
Very professional by all parties!
- smoss
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Re: DA40NG Lost Engine in IMC
If I did the math correctly, the glide angle at best glide would range from 5 -8 degrees for a DA40, much steeper than a typical ILS. So I suppose if intercepting an ILS dead-stick, you'd want to be about twice as high as the normal glideslope.
Steve
DA40 XL
DA40 XL
- Boatguy
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Re: DA40NG Lost Engine in IMC
That's a really good point. My experience is -950fpm with engine at 0%, way more than a 3˚GS. Any instrument approach is pretty much useless dead stick, other than maybe to get you onto runway heading. It sounded like the pilot took a visual approach which is really the only thing you can do.
- waynemcc999
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Re: DA40NG Lost Engine in IMC
Exactly! Here's another WOW for that!
Wayne
Wayne McClelland
PPL/IR, 2008 Diamond Star DA40-XLS 40.922, KSBA
Photo logs of PilotsNPaws | Flying Doctors | Angel Flight | YouTube @GeezerGeekPilot
PPL/IR, 2008 Diamond Star DA40-XLS 40.922, KSBA
Photo logs of PilotsNPaws | Flying Doctors | Angel Flight | YouTube @GeezerGeekPilot
- Soareyes
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Re: DA40NG Lost Engine in IMC
It sounded like he reported having lost the engine and then at first accepted an instrument approach. Maybe with partial power but no instrument approach is doable with a totally dead engine. Technically, maybe a contact approach but that's not in IMC.
If I have any brain cells not frozen in fear during an engine out in a single in IMC, I think I would try to fly directly over the airport and spiral down, hoping to break out in time to find a flat spot.
Current: DA42-V1
Previous: Hang gliders, Paraglider, DA40(x3), Cessna 150 Aerobat, SR22
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- CFIDave
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Re: DA40NG Lost Engine in IMC
It'll be interesting to find out what caused the loss of engine power.
My guess is an intake manifold hose popped off, caused by poor 100 hour engine and gearbox servicing (Unlike Diamond twins, DA40NGs require removal of a U-shaped air intake duct on the front of the engine in order to expose the fill cap on top of the gearbox -- with hose clamps that must be properly tightened when the intake system is put back together.) There have already been at least 2 other DA40NGs that made emergency landings due to this issue -- one in a field off the end of the runway, and another that was able to fly back to the airport.
My guess is an intake manifold hose popped off, caused by poor 100 hour engine and gearbox servicing (Unlike Diamond twins, DA40NGs require removal of a U-shaped air intake duct on the front of the engine in order to expose the fill cap on top of the gearbox -- with hose clamps that must be properly tightened when the intake system is put back together.) There have already been at least 2 other DA40NGs that made emergency landings due to this issue -- one in a field off the end of the runway, and another that was able to fly back to the airport.
Epic Aircraft E1000 GX
Former DA40XLS, DA42-VI, and DA62 owner
ATP, CFI, CFI-I, MEI
Former DA40XLS, DA42-VI, and DA62 owner
ATP, CFI, CFI-I, MEI
- Boatguy
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Re: DA40NG Lost Engine in IMC
How will we ever find out what happened? No crash so there won't be an NTSB report. It seems unlikely the Take Flight service center will want to disclose the problem if their service center was culprit.
- danno2000
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Re: DA40NG Lost Engine in IMC
That's consistent with the audio - at 1:13 he reported 3000 feet, at 1:56 2300 feet = about 975 ft/min, and it sounds like there was at least some turning there.
Nice job by all involved.
dan