Service difficulty report · Transmitter · Cessna S550

Difficulty date
January 25, 2013
Submitted
January 25, 2013
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N84EC
Make and model
Cessna S550
Aircraft serial
0014
Aircraft time
13,377 hours, 11,904 cycles
Engine
Pwa JT15D1
Engine time
13,293 hours, 11,500 cycles
Part
Transmitter
Part number
99120316
Part serial
0773
Condition
Broken
Location
Rt Engine Fuel
Stage of operation
CL
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
X, J
Precautionary procedure
E

As reported to the FAA. Reports are unverified, and codes are left as the FAA publishes them.

What was found

ACFT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY, LANDING WITH THE RT ENGINE SHUTDOWN AND REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE FLAMED OUT ON TAKEOFF. THERE WAS A SMALL AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE COWLING. ON REMOVAL OF THE COWLING IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE FUEL FLOW TRANSMITTER WAS BROKEN (TWO SCREWS SHEARED OFF AND THE BACK PLATE WAS RUPTURED). INVESTIGATION SHOWED NO DEBRIS IN THE FUEL OR EVIDENCE OF CAUSE. SUSPECT DUE TO THE ORIENTATION OF THE TRANSMITTER, THAT WATER COULD HAVE BUILT UP IN THE CAVITY OF THE FUEL FLOW TRANSMITTER OVER TIME AND SLOWLY FROZEN CAUSING THE SCREWS TO WEAKEN & FAIL, THE INCREASED PRESSURE OF THE FUEL ON TAKEOFF COULD HAVE CAUSED THE BACK PLATE TO RUPTURE THEREFORE STARVING THE ENGINE.

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