Service difficulty report · Master Switch · Diamon

Difficulty date
August 18, 2021
Submitted
March 3, 2026
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N62NC
Make and model
Diamon
Part
Master Switch
Condition
Faulted
Stage of operation
CL
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
Y
Precautionary procedure
O

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

What was found

DURING INITIAL CLIMBOUT, PILOT FLYING (PF) REACHED WITH BOTH HANDS TO TURN OFF THE TWO FUEL PUMPS IAW THE CLIMB CHECK IN THE NORMAL PROCEDURES. PF INSTEAD TURNED OFF THE TWO ENGINE MASTER SWITCHES. AFTER APPROXIMATELY TWO SECONDS, DURING WHICH THE PF HEARD THE ENGINES SHUT DOWN AND SENSED THE LOSS OF THRUST, THE PF REALIZED HIS MISTAKE AND TURNED THE ENGINE MASTER SWITCHES BACK TO ON. BOTH ENGINES IMMEDIATELY RESTARTED AND SPUN BACK UP TO TAKEOFF THRUST. AFTER SOME SECONDS OF RECOVERY, THE PF AND INSTRUCTOR PILOT (IP) DECIDED TO CONTINUE THE FLIGHT. THE REST OF THE FLIGHT WAS UNEVENTFUL, INCLUDING SEVEN FURTHER CORRECT ACTUATIONS OF THE FUEL PUMP SWITCHES. DURING THE PREFLIGHT BRIEFING, THE IP AND PF REVIEWED DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE DA42 AND DA62. BOTH PILOTS HAD AMPLE EXPERIENCE IN THE DA42. THIS WAS THE PF’S TENTH FLIGHT IN THE DA62. DA62 NORMAL PROCEDURES DIRECT THE FUEL PUMP SWITCHES TO BE TURNED OFF AFTER LANDING GEAR RETRACTION DURING INITIAL CLIMB. WHEN THE PF REACHED FOR THE SWITCHES, HE GRABBED TWO IDENTICAL SWITCHES ON EITHER SIDE OF THE START BUTTONS AND TURNED THEM OFF. ALTHOUGH THE FUEL PUMP SWITCHES AND THE ENGINE MASTER SWITCHES LOOK DIFFERENT, THEY ARE BOTH “TWO IDENTICAL SWITCHES ON EITHER SIDE OF THE START BUTTONS.” THE ENGINE MASTER SWITCHES ARE NOT GUARDED. THEY ARE NOT COLORED RED.