What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On June 21, 2013 at approximately 0930 HST, N9450C was in enroute from hnl to lih at an altitude of 8500?MSL and about 10 miles west of kiaena point, the pilot had just leveled off, when he noticed a loss of fuel flow on the left engine from approximately 25 gal/hr during the climb phase of flight to 5 to 7 gal/hr without any commanded power changes, while the right engine remained at 25 gal/hr.
After the pilot finished leveling off, he verified the throttle, propeller, and fuel levers were all set to max and the left engine was unresponsive to power changes, and continued to indicate 5 to 7 gal/hr fuel flow, and no increase in EGT.
The pilot attempted to engage the electric standby pump with no effect, knowing that the primer is wired to the same standby electric pump and worked during the start sequence, he then engaged the primer button, which had a positive effect and increased the fuel flow to match the right engine, he then disengaged the primer and again experienced loss of fuel flow and power on the left engine.
He then decided to return to hnl for a precautionary landing, he was able to use the primer button to maintain proper fuel flow and power on the left engine for the return flight.
He contacted hnl ATC and declared an emergency due to the situation and landed uneventfully at hnl.
As the FAA filed it
ON JUNE 21, 2013 AT APPROXIMATELY 0930 HST, N9450C WAS IN ENROUTE FROM HNL TO LIH AT AN ALTITUDE OF 8500?MSL AND ABOUT 10 MILES WEST OF KIAENA POINT, THE PILOT HAD JUST LEVELED OFF, WHEN HE NOTICED A LOSS OF FUEL FLOW ON THE LEFT ENGINE FROM APPROXIMATELY 25 GAL/HR DURING THE CLIMB PHASE OF FLIGHT TO 5 TO 7 GAL/HR WITHOUT ANY COMMANDED POWER CHANGES, WHILE THE RIGHT ENGINE REMAINED AT 25 GAL/HR.
AFTER THE PILOT FINISHED LEVELING OFF, HE VERIFIED THE THROTTLE, PROPELLER, AND FUEL LEVERS WERE ALL SET TO MAX AND THE LEFT ENGINE WAS UNRESPONSIVE TO POWER CHANGES, AND CONTINUED TO INDICATE 5 TO 7 GAL/HR FUEL FLOW, AND NO INCREASE IN EGT.
THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE THE ELECTRIC STANDBY PUMP WITH NO EFFECT, KNOWING THAT THE PRIMER IS WIRED TO THE SAME STANDBY ELECTRIC PUMP AND WORKED DURING THE START SEQUENCE, HE THEN ENGAGED THE PRIMER BUTTON, WHICH HAD A POSITIVE EFFECT AND INCREASED THE FUEL FLOW TO MATCH THE RIGHT ENGINE, HE THEN DISENGAGED THE PRIMER AND AGAIN EXPERIENCED LOSS OF FUEL FLOW AND POWER ON THE LEFT ENGINE.
HE THEN DECIDED TO RETURN TO HNL FOR A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING, HE WAS ABLE TO USE THE PRIMER BUTTON TO MAINTAIN PROPER FUEL FLOW AND POWER ON THE LEFT ENGINE FOR THE RETURN FLIGHT.
HE CONTACTED HNL ATC AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY DUE TO THE SITUATION AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY AT HNL.
Other reports on N9450C · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.