SDR 96ZZZX666

Service difficulty report · Sender · Piper PA31310

Difficulty date
September 15, 1995
Submitted
March 26, 2000
Operation
Air carrier
Aircraft
N9132Y
Make and model
Piper PA31310
Aircraft serial
31178
Part
Sender
Part number
4064803
Condition
Wrong Part
Location
Main Otbd
Component
40518XX
Stage of operation
IN
Nature of condition
W
Precautionary procedure
K

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

What was found

A MECHANIC WAS PERFORMING MX RUN-UP ON A STRAIGHT NAVAJO, WHEN BOTH ENGINES QUIT DUE TO FUEL STARVATION. PRIOR TO THE RUN, HE HAD CHECKED FUEL QUANTITY INDICATORS, WHICH SHOWED ONE-FOURTH TANK IN EACH MAIN TANK. THE MAIN (INBOARD) TANK HAS 2 SENDERS, AN INBOARD (40648-03) AND AN OUTBOARD (40648-02); INBOARD SENDER IS LONGER THAN OUTBOARD. INVESTIGATION SHOWED THAT IN THIS ACFT, THE 2 SENDERS HAD BEEN SWITCHED. WHEN LONGER SENDER IS PUT IN OUTBOARD LOCATION, IT WILL HIT BOTTOM OF TANK, GIVING A FALSE ONE-FOURTH FULL INDICATION. THIS IS SECOND TIME THIS CONDITION HAS BEEN FOUND IN THE LAST 6 WEEKS. WHILE BOTH INCIDENTS INVOLVED 31-310'S, PARTS, & POTENTIAL FOR PROBLEM, IS SAME IN PA31350 CHIEFTANS.

More about the Piper PA-31-310