Bummer Sunday Morning Dead Stick in My Hurricane Ultralight (Rotax 503 Failure)

As you can hear I seized something in my 503. Fast forward to 5:30 in the video and will see and hear what I heard. This was not the way I wanted to start my Sunday. I had a whopping 7 seconds from the time the prop stopped spinning to the point I made impact in the plowed flour bowl field. The engine started to sag and I looked for a place to ditch, as soon as the I lost power I pushed the stick, pulled in one notch of flap, and just before impact I pulled in the second notch of flap and that is what you see my left arm/hand doing. The impact broke the right main landing gear tube and cable, the steering wheel assembly, and wiped out the steering yoke. I will be doing a full autopsy on the airframe and engine the weekend of 6-19-21 and will be letting you all see the result of that.
I have the plane hanging in the hanger up high to get it out of the way of my second Hurricane that I will be selling.
I walked away from this without so much as a scratch or bruise. I know that will not always be the case and I Thank Christ for watching over me.
Stay Tuned,
FBSC

[@stolaircraftsuyanto9728]

Glad you're okay

[@FlyboySoCal]

Thanks

[@kenhaworth7722]

I snagged my nose gear on an electric line , trying to land off airport. Ianded the same way. I climbed out and cursed same as you. I was flying a Phantom, that's the strongest ultralight ever made. I repaired it and flew it some more.

[@FlyboySoCal]

Thanks for sharing. I know I am not the only guy out there trashing his plane. FBSC

[@FLYNRYAN1978]

Glad you are ok . CHRIST JESUS is indeed good !

[@FlyboySoCal]

Absolutely!! Thanks, FBSC

[@chuckinwyoming8526]

I have been forced down 6 times over the years in my 1984 Quicksilver. Never bent anything!! Only one engine failure with the 447 snagging a top ring on the transfer port breaking up off the piston and chewing on the bits, lost a plug wire, redrive bearing failure, and fuel problems. No fun taking it apart and trailering it home twice.

[@FlyboySoCal]

You got that right!! Thanks, FBSC

[@julesviolin]

Glad you walked away but..... From what I could see, at failure point you were less than 500ft and fiddling with something above you. With engine failure at low altitude you must concentrate on keeping the thing flying, there is no time for anything else just keep flying speed and land. Always be aware of wind direction. Always fly with the attitude an engine can quit at any time! Practice power off approaches at your home field, any aircraft can land safely without power, even the space shuttle!

[@FlyboySoCal]

Jules, Thanks for the sound advice. Yes, I was too friggin low, about 150'-200'ag. When I got back to the hangar, my mentor kicked me in the junk when I told him what my altitude was. It was a flat calm morning, when the engine quit, my focus was keeping the plane moving forward and no stall. My left arm was pulling in the flaperons to slow my decent and reduce my ground speed to soften the blow as much as possible. Obviously, I had way too much energy left. My mentor has forced me to perform power off landings as well. I am not afraid of a dead stick landing and have successfully performed several to date. Thanks for watching. FBSC

[@Mike-01234]

Seems to be common for ultralights to fly low maybe because the climb rate is so low just don't want to bother with getting above 100-200 feet. Almost like an engine out on takeoff hardly anytime your on the ground. I have heard these ultralights with the engine mounted high on the wing have terrible glide ratios due to the amount of drag not sure if that is true makes sense.

[@FlyboySoCal]

Yes, it is a very dirty glider. As I said my bad for being too low. FBSC

[@eshannonfly]

@@Mike-01234 You obviously know NOTHING about modern day ultralights!!! GEEZE!

[@embededfabrication4482]

didn't even damage the sails. I put a log truck over on it's side once without damaging it

[@FlyboySoCal]

Not even a tear. 👍👍

[@pauls.2526]

Lucky man you get to walk away.

[@FlyboySoCal]

Agreed and have fixed it and changed out the engine. FBSC

[@paper____]

I have to ask this. The engine should of been backed down after airborne & at a safe altitude. That little 503 was screaming.

[@FlyboySoCal]

It may sound like it was screaming, but in reality the engine prop is pitched so that it didn't exceed 6300 rpm in flight, around 6000 static. When it decided seize up, I was at my cruising speed which is 5500 rpm. The engine is rated at 6800 rpm max for max of 5 minutes which I never came close to that as I have pitched the prop to not allow that. Thanks for the comment, FBSC

[@dalemseitzer]

Prop pitch is crucial for get temps. The engine must be properly loaded at all times. The engine sounded funny to me anyway. There is also a known issue with bing carbs, there is a rpm range where an engine get will run lean and hot, the best thing to do is avoid the rpm range, either above or below that rpm.

[@jonathanshirer2395]

I agree. What were the EGTs? I know the sound of a 503, and this one was screaming. Carb setting is crucial and depends on air temp and needle settings. Thank God the pilot got down safely.

[@murrscottg]

Wow!!

[@Jmnp08]

I hear a vibration right off

[@eddiejames8739]

Phew !

[@Mikeylikesit1968]

Using flaps on a dead stick isnt very wise , I think your landing would been better with flaps up

[@FlyboySoCal]

That my be true if I had more altitude. I feel that pulling the flaps defiantly helped slow the plane down which in turn reduced my forward speed and decent for the very short distance I had to work with. In mind the proof is in pudding as I walked away without any personal injury. Thanks FBSC

[@paper____]

@@FlyboySoCal Thats BS. Flaps slow you down. Let them up to glide & then down to land. Not it all's pass bad info.

[@sacooper802]

@@FlyboySoCal wow i didnt know hurricane had flaperons? i have a phantom and mine has no flaps or flaperons, i know you can get a flap option these days for phantoms, but never seen flaperons as an option, i know hurricanes are somewhat different, im trying learn what hurricanes came with thats why i ask my phantom has full span ailerons only but they do sell them with separate flaps as an option. but im told by veteran phantom pilots you really dont need flaps or flaperons.