Yes indeed, see my more considered second post.

The point is, we wouldn't expect them to say anything for a second or so, provided we'd already done the right thing and shoved the nose down, but we would expect them to know what to say, which the OP was suggesting was not the case (without explaining the reasoning behind this diagnosis).

Sorry, Slim Slag, but

.

I totally disagree with this - I wouldn't be alive otherwise.

It may take 5 seconds for the bodily functions to misbehave, but the brain is well and truly going ;)

So what happened? (more interested in the aviation aspects, not physiological :))

We often hear about 'sticking valves'.

Why would a stuck valve close again after a brief interval and then work normally? Why doesn't it stick and stay that way? Is it because the stem cools?

Just wondering.

Thanks, that's understood. But if it reset on the next cycle that would be about a 50 msec interruption, not the 1 sec outage which is the sort of period we seem to hear about.
Does something else come into play, like turbulence in the inlet manifold mentioned above, to extend the period into a recognisable timescale?

Slim Slag

Spinny thing stopped spinning about 200 ft AGL during go round. EFATO practice. :ooh:

Lot of fresh beef available in the area that night. :E

Sure you don't want to hear about my laundry bill...?! :}

Rich-Mixture Cut-Out
 

May well be the above.

Same happened to me during simulated Emergency Landing on my US check-ride in a v.old PA-28. After a week or so flying the same a/c, I'd got used to it, but it certainly drew the examiner's full attention at 200AGL.

He said later how impressed he was with my prompt diagnosis!!!:ok:

er340790 - were you meaning me?

No it definitely wasn't the above... it was the student turning the fuel off. Tends to grind engines to a halt.

KC

That would grab your attention, no choice but to prepare to land ahead, and not much time to decide where.

I cannot find a reference to my 'about five seconds' which would stand up in the court of PPrune. I'm sure I read it somewhere on a simulator study done on how to properly conduct a turn back. Anyway, I did find that the authorities require a two seconds reaction time for airline pilots to add to their calculations when working out runway speeds. So as there are two of them, and they are trained to concentrate on these things, I cannot see a PPL doing better - on average.

Though I do think pushing the stick hard forward is probably instinctive when things go wrong as it is drummed into you with stalls practice. Whether that is the correct thing to do at 200ft AGL when the engine stops? Will have to think about that....

Crossing from St Mary's to Lands End a couple of years back. Half way across and the engine went quiet...then carried on as if nothing had happened. Totally focused my attention. Total time of silence, about one second even though it seemed like 10. Drained the carb on landing (they all have a drain plug) and found a small droplet of water. This was after doing a full fuel drain check prior to departure.

I have heard of this happening before but it was my first time.

And the chap sitting beside me, who happens to the the local CFI (non-instructional trip) said nothing...for about 1.5 seconds. What he and I did say is not reproducable here, but I am sure imagination will suffice.

camlobe

I believe more and more that i had some small water instead of icing.... i guess we can never drain some water away ??

I always drain extensivly....doesn't seem to help quite enough...

I suspect the heather in the carb might have something to do with it :}

Stern,

What fuel drain are you talking about other than the wing sumps and the strainer next to the oil filler neck? Is there in the fuselage under the engine?

150/152 have a drain on the centreline approx beneath the pilots seats.

You need a spanner to open it and in reality it is a maintenance drain not a water drain.

Well you have one on the bottom of the fuselage,

Oh, i just drain it everytime just with my normal fuel drainer, are you sure we are talking about the same one ?

Same here, I always drain the one on the fuselage as well.

draccent,

Which of the maintenance procedures specified by Lycoming would you feel constitutes a "full once over"? Would it be prudent to also examine the aircraft fuel system?

How much money would you propose that the aircraft operator spend to assess this momentary loss of power?

Would it perhaps be more effective to just replace the engine with a new one to be sure?

So as to offer a little assurance, I can tell you that the 152 can be safely flown and landed under power with any one of it's 8 spark plugs not operating, either of it's two magnetos not operating, any one of it's four exhaust valves stuck slightly open, or a 25% blockage in the fuel system.

My money's on the exhaust valve on this one.....

Pilot DAR

Not all aircraft have a drainable valve at the fuselage location.

On our aircraft it is a plug locked by a locking plate.

This is also shown as the correct configuration in the IPC (parts catalogue)

Yeah, I don't recall seeing one of those on any of the 152s I flew??