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20030714017999I

Incident
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FAA incident report · Piper PA-24-260 · Greensboro, NC · July 14, 2003

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
July 14, 2003 · 13:55 local
Place
Greensboro, NC
Airport
Piedmont Triad International Airport
Phase of flight
Normal Cruise
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Aircraft
N9219P
Reported as
Piper PA24260
Reported engine
Lycoming IO540D4A5
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
1,500 total50 in this make and model10 in the last 90 days
N9219PRegistered now · Piper PA-24-260S/N 24-4715 · Built 1967Airframe modelPiper PA-24-260Engine modelLycoming TI0-540 seriesTurbo-prop

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) After leveling off at a cruising altitude of 5000 ft in IMC conditions, the pilot stated that the engine began to run rough and surge. The pilot declared an emergency and returned to Greensboro. During the vectors to Greensboro the engine continued to surge and run rough. The aircraft landed without further incident at Greensboro. Examination of the aircraft revealed that the fuel gauge would not read correctly when any of the four tanks were selected. Additionally, evidence of an oil leak was noted on the engine cowling. The pilot stated that during the return flight she and the passenger (also a pilot) attempted switching tanks several times but could not get the engine to run smoothly on any tank. The aircraft was examined by maintenance technicians who found problems with a leaking oil cooler, a deteriorated induction duct, oil in the carb. Box, debris in the fuel strainer, and broken contacts for the fuel gauge selector. This most likely resulted in the pilot selecting a fuel tank that did not contain adequate fuel for the intended flight.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AFTER LEVELING OFF AT A CRUISING ALTITUDE OF 5000 FT IN IMC CONDITIONS, THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND SURGE. THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND RETURNED TO GREENSBORO. DURING THE VECTORS TO GREENSBORO THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO SURGE AND RUN ROUGH. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT AT GREENSBORO. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE WOULD NOT READ CORRECTLY WHEN ANY OF THE FOUR TANKS WERE SELECTED. ADDITIONALLY, EVIDENCE OF AN OIL LEAK WAS NOTED ON THE ENGINE COWLING. THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING THE RETURN FLIGHT SHE AND THE PASSENGER (ALSO A PILOT) ATTEMPTED SWITCHING TANKS SEVERAL TIMES BUT COULD NOT GET THE ENGINE TO RUN SMOOTHLY ON ANY TANK. THE AIRCRAFT WAS EXAMINED BY MAINTENANCE TECHNICIANS WHO FOUND PROBLEMS WITH A LEAKING OIL COOLER, A DETERIORATED INDUCTION DUCT, OIL IN THE CARB. BOX, DEBRIS IN THE FUEL STRAINER, AND BROKEN CONTACTS FOR THE FUEL GAUGE SELECTOR. THIS MOST LIKELY RESULTED IN THE PILOT SELECTING A FUEL TANK THAT DID NOT CONTAIN ADEQUATE FUEL FOR THE INTENDED FLIGHT.