This morning I headed to the airport at daybreak and prepped the KR for flight. the winds were 180° and straight down the runway. I called the tower, ready to go and away we went. I was flying all over the place at 3000' and just really enjoying the morning. Now, it was getting about 8:10 and I knew my wife would be leaving the house with the kids at about 8:20 and I was not far away so I decided to make the buzz. When I approached the house, they were in the driveway and I circled a couple times about 1000' AGL rocked my wings and headed away. I had now been in the air 1.5 hours. Anyway, I was now a couple miles away from the house and over the interstate five miles west of my airport and I pushed in the throttle to gain some altitude and the engine started to die, I thought my heart was going to die too!!!!!! That interstate below me was beginning to look real good since I was only about 1500' AGL. Not a lot of time to make decisions. I backed off the throttle and she smoothed out at about 1500 rpm. I called the tower, 5 out west inbound for landing. They cleared me for 18 and I headed in. I tried applying throttle again and she started to die. Pulled back on the throttle and she ran fine at 1500 rpm. By now I was on base and getting set up for final and landing. made a really smooth landing and taxied to the hanger. To make a long story short, I found that the ground wire to my left wing tank fuel pump had broken at the crimp terminal causing the pump to fail. Apparently the engine was creating enough suction on the fuel lines to keep it running at low rpm. During all the low level adrenaline rush, I never thought to turn on my back up fuel pump much less look at the fuel pressure gauge. I think I need an emergency check list on my dash. Yep, I had angels on my wings this morning. That is three lives for me, six to go.
Mark Jones (N886MJ) Wales, WI USA E-mail me at flyk...@wi.rr.com Visit my KR-2S CorvAIRCRAFT web site at www.flykr2s.com
