Motor suddenly Quit !

Flying early morning I had been climbing and decided I wanted to climb to 10,000 feet msl. Just for fun. I made a mixture adjustment at about 9,000’. And temps were good. At about 9,200 feet the motor suddenly stopped. I thought it seized but turns out the starter sprocket broke and got folded up and jammed against the starter and engine preventing the engine from rotating. Never thought that would be a problem. Glided to a smooth landing back at the van.

[@frankwilliams4445]

Glad you made it out ok!

[@mikedillonhaswings]

I wish I was flexible enough to reach around and grab my propeller (while it was stopped, of course).

[@donotwantahandle1111]

The beauty of these craft is you can glide back down and land it.

[@wrdturkey]

Strange stuff. That ring gear only works when cranking the engine. In flight, it should only be spinning. El Mirage is a blast to fly!

[@TrikeAdventures]

Yes I was very surprised. I never thought of that sprocket causing an engine failure. I will watch the new sprocket closely for any cracks.

[@CrayonboxAviationAdventures]

I suggest the ringgear had a stress crack in it from starting, and finally succumbed to it during flight. Glad to see it all ended well, and that lessons were learnt. Something to keep and eye on in future preflights hey. regards from Australia.

[@TrikeAdventures]

@@CrayonboxAviationAdventures thanks, I agree that’s what happened.

[@SimonAmazingClarke]

Blimey, that is a catastrophic failure. I hope that it Didn't damage the engine internals.

[@amarocamargo2385]

Piloto bom parabéns 👏👏👏

[@flymachine]

Basically a non event hanging from a hang glider wing with so much altitude and nothing but flat ground as far as you can see, although there’s a ton of drag and weight it really isn’t a problem if you manage your energy

[@TrikeAdventures]

Exactly right, other than bumbed my engine broke , the glide and landing was a nonevent.

[@Trike.]

Could have you engaged the bendex when the motor was already started?, Those paramotor engines doesn't like to have the push starter engaged while running . The motor would have to be high rppm to break the ring gear like that and destoy the the bendex and woodruff key in the shaft .

[@TrikeAdventures]

@@Trike. no the bendex was not engaged. Teeth on starter not damaged, only the outside portion of starter was damaged. Yes engine was running about 7200 rpm . I believe the sprocket had a undetected crack that may have caused the outside portion of the sprocket to also crack and that let the broken end of the sprocket strike the starter which bent it 180 degrees back and then it could not pass by the starter so it made the engine stop suddenly.

[@434holly]

That's a nice trike. Where you get it at and where you flying at? I want to learn how to fly these. Thanks

[@TrikeAdventures]

I got it from North wing in Washington. I was flying at El Mirage dry lake in so Cal. Take a demo flight they really are a blast to fly.

[@434holly]

@@TrikeAdventures I’ll definently get ahold of them. Hope to see you in the skies one day!

[@butchgeagan9768]

2nd time I've seen that happen. Dont remember ehere I saw it first. Sprocket looked just like yours.

[@TrikeAdventures]

Yikes. I will be looking for stress cracks.

[@FLYNRYAN1978]

I can't recall what channel I was watching but I've seen this happen to someone else (on that same motor I think) not too long ago.

[@TrikeAdventures]

Very interesting, I posted it on a couple trike forums and Minari engine forum. One person reported having a cracked sprocket but nobody else had seen it before. I have a close eye on it now.

[@detached]

No good reason for that failure imo. Nice helmet. What brand is it?

[@TrikeAdventures]

@@detached I agree that sprocket was not even a thought for an engine failure. But it is now. Don’t remember the brand of the helmet but I added a Bluetooth system to it.

[@TrikeAdventures]

This is the link to my helmet Bluetooth install
th-cam.com/video/xfUzoM83F3A/w-d-xo.htmlsi=Uh6zaDvkO2eiJt_a

[@brandonnonya3680]

Well you had enough altitude to land in another country

[@insearchof33]

What engine did you fly with?

[@TrikeAdventures]

@@insearchof33 A Minari 200 cc

[@tomo0008]

I hope all of that was under warranty.😬

[@TrikeAdventures]

@@tomo0008 nope, Minari thought it must have been something I did to cause it to break. Another person on the Minari engine forum said his sprocket was also cracked but he changed it before it broke. I will be watching the new one closely.

[@WinahhTaylahh]

​@@TrikeAdventuresSounds like a possible fiture lawsuit for that company God forbid, or a FAA ban on their products?

[@MűhelyKompozitorKft]

Japan or Germany, according to them the Italians are not the same...

[@billwatcher9321]

Those motors are junk.

[@TrikeAdventures]

Is there other things on this motor I should be aware of? Thanks

[@MűhelyKompozitorKft]

Chinese? Cheap?

[@TrikeAdventures]

Made in Italy, supposedly high quality???

[@markfisher8943]

Looks to me like your starter engaged while motor was running..

[@TrikeAdventures]

@@markfisher8943 no, it was not engaged. The sprocket just cracked then hit the starter and bent. Very strange.

[@ronaldcarrel5388]

Maybe not a good idea to mess with the engine while you’re actually flying

[@HiddenWindshield]

Are you referring to the part at 3:49? Because you _have_ to adjust the mixture as you climb, otherwise there's not enough air for the amount of fuel, and the engine will choke.

[@TrikeAdventures]

I was planning to climb to 10, 000 feet just for fun, I have a mixture control for low end adjustments but my top end mixture screw is a reach to the carburetor to lean the engine a bit at high altitude. Usually I do not have to lean the top end.

[@macmccune21]

talking about 4:30?

[@TrikeAdventures]

@@macmccune21 at 3:50

[@WinahhTaylahh]

It literally explains what he was doing, changing the fuel/air mixture, can't you read?