Lee, I don't post often, but since your incident was much like one that I had, I will post in response......in hopes it might be useful to some.
To cut through the chaff, I have nice KR 2 with a VW Type !V, 1835 cc engine, standard VW ignition, Zenith carb and Facet electric full pump......among many other things, of course. On my first flight, after the usual check outs, taxi tests, etc., I went thru my checklist, run up, fuel pump on, etc. pulled out on the runway, eased the throttle forward, tracked straight down the runway, lifted off effortlessly, climbed out to cross wind altitude, etc., etc. It was flying like a dream. My plan was to stay in the pattern and practice landings. We have no tower. I was using the 3000' , runway 36, wind was light and 360 degrees. I started climbing on out to downwind altitude, 800+ feet, throttling back, fuel pump off, etc., starting my downwind turn, etc. and the engine QUIT....."DAMN!!!!!!!." Well, I focused on flying the airplane, checked my fuel shut off valve, ignition switch, throttle,choke, hit the starter, turned on the fuel pump, etc Hit the starter again and she fired right up......"OH GOODY!!!!!!"........ So, I turn off the fuel pump, got everything set up again and continued downwind. If it had not restarted, I had planned to just make a dead stick landing right behind a Cherokee making touch and goes on runway 90. But it restarted, so I just continued downwind to runway 36....to where I started. Just as I got adjacent to the numbers, it quit AGAIN!!!!...."DAMN!!!!"... again. lol. I hit the starter again and it did not start. So, rather than spend the time trying the usual....again....I just focused on setting up for and making a dead stick landing. The prop had stopped at about a ten minutes after four o'clock position, I am proud to say that I judged my altitude, speed and distance pretty well. I turned final at about 90 mph (prop stopped, remember), slowed her up to 75 to 80 (1.3 times the stall speed of 60), picked my touchdown spot (at just beyond the numbers), controlled my speed with pitch......fortunately the decent rate stabalized at just about "perfect". "GOODY, GOODY !!!!!" This is a taildragger!!! Started my flare just before I reached the numbers, but guess I was just too timid about slowing her down just a little more. I touched down EXACTLY...lol....where I had planned but was just a little too fast......keeping my eyes outside now, not on the ASI....and the tail just a little too high. My mains touched down.....just about right.....but I bounced, of course. Had no power to smooth it out....or go around. The bounce was not TOO high, but it seemed to be, so I tried to put it back on the ground (reflex) with some forward stick. It bounced again. By then I had the stick in my gut, but it was too late and it nosed over, skidded to the side of the runway and clipped off about 2 inches of my prop. I think when I first bounced, if I had kept the stick back, it would have bounced another time or two, but would have settled down and not nosed over. I got out, lifted it by the stabilizer and walked it back to my hangar. There was no traffic on that runway.....fortunately. I had to wait at a taxi intersection while a commuter airline plane taxied out from the terminal. In the windows, I saw inquizing faces peering at me. Could have sworn I heard some kid shout out, "Mommy. Look. That man broke his itty bitty airplane." lol. Anyway.....back at the hangar started looking for the problem......beginning that day and several days thereafter. Everything was checking out as having been ok, but I'll just cut through it all and state what I think was the cause. Previously, I checked my gravity, as well a with pump, fuel flow...... gph and pressure at the carb..... many, many times. Why so many? Because I was getting inconsitent, varying numbers. When it got regular enough to suit me, I flew it. I was accustomed to taking off with the fuel pump on and turning it off upon reaching pattern altitude......and I did it this time. When the engine quit the first time.....and I went through all the gyrations......and it started back up, etc....It did not register at the time that it restarted after I turned the fuel pump back on. So, I turned it off again. And, the flow must not have been sufficient....again....and it quit again at about adjacent to the numbers. My fuel line exits the bottom of my header tank, thru the on/off valve, thru the Facet (electric) fuel pump, turns in a semi-circle, then thru the firewall into the gascalator and then to carb. That's too many angles and turns. My final conclusion is that I was not getting constant, sufficient, gravity flow thru that Facet pump. Fuel pump should stay on all the time as long as this condition exists. This is old hat to most. Fuel pumps.....particularly the Facet....has been thoroughly discussed on this board over the years and most are aware of this. However, to those that are not aware,.....and a reminder to those who are.... the moral to this story is, "Leave that pump on until you know EXACTLY how your system is going to perform." T
