What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
privacy data omitted Stated that before placing the aircraft on lease back he wanted to ensure the propeller feathering system functioned in flight. privacy data omitted Flew to a remote practice area and at 8,500 feet, shut down the left engine and feathered the propeller. When he attempted to engage the starter to re-start the engine and un-feather the propeller the starter would not spin the engine fast enough to start. About this time he noticed the landing gear motor was running continuously. He called deer valley ATC and declared an emergency and received vectors for a VFR approach. During the final stages of the flight all electrical power was lost. The landing gear was lowered manually. The landing was uneventful.
Post flight investigation revealed the positive post of the battery had completely melted through. Additionally the switch that controls landing gear operation had failed in the closed position which caused the landing gear motor to run continuously. The most probable cause of this incident was the failed landing switch caused the landing gear motor to run continuously and when the starter was engaged the excess current draw caused the positive battery post to melt with a subsequent loss of electrical power.
The battery and landing gear control switch were replaced by an A&P mechanic. A test flight was conducted and each engine was shut down, feathered and re-started in turn. No further malfunctions were encountered.
As the FAA filed it
^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT BEFORE PLACING THE AIRCRAFT ON LEASE BACK HE WANTED TO ENSURE THE PROPELLER FEATHERING SYSTEM FUNCTIONED IN FLIGHT. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ FLEW TO A REMOTE PRACTICE AREA AND AT 8,500 FEET, SHUT DOWN THE LEFT ENGINE AND FEATHERED THE PROPELLER. WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE THE STARTER TO RE-START THE ENGINE AND UN-FEATHER THE PROPELLER THE STARTER WOULD NOT SPIN THE ENGINE FAST ENOUGH TO START. ABOUT THIS TIME HE NOTICED THE LANDING GEAR MOTOR WAS RUNNING CONTINUOUSLY. HE CALLED DEER VALLEY ATC AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND RECEIVED VECTORS FOR A VFR APPROACH. DURING THE FINAL STAGES OF THE FLIGHT ALL ELECTRICAL POWER WAS LOST. THE LANDING GEAR WAS LOWERED MANUALLY. THE LANDING WAS UNEVENTFUL.
POST FLIGHT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE POSITIVE POST OF THE BATTERY HAD COMPLETELY MELTED THROUGH. ADDITIONALLY THE SWITCH THAT CONTROLS LANDING GEAR OPERATION HAD FAILED IN THE CLOSED POSITION WHICH CAUSED THE LANDING GEAR MOTOR TO RUN CONTINUOUSLY. THE MOST PROBABLE CAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT WAS THE FAILED LANDING SWITCH CAUSED THE LANDING GEAR MOTOR TO RUN CONTINUOUSLY AND WHEN THE STARTER WAS ENGAGED THE EXCESS CURRENT DRAW CAUSED THE POSITIVE BATTERY POST TO MELT WITH A SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER.
THE BATTERY AND LANDING GEAR CONTROL SWITCH WERE REPLACED BY AN A&P MECHANIC. A TEST FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED AND EACH ENGINE WAS SHUT DOWN, FEATHERED AND RE-STARTED IN TURN. NO FURTHER MALFUNCTIONS WERE ENCOUNTERED.
Other reports on N8385C · 1
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