Service difficulty report · Drive Unit · Piper PA31

Difficulty date
April 1, 2002
Submitted
April 8, 2002
Operation
General aviation
Make and model
Piper PA31
Aircraft time
16,797 hours
Engine
Lyc TIO540A2B
Propeller
Hartzl HCE3YR2A
Part
Drive Unit
Condition
Broken
Location
Prop Governor
Stage of operation
CL
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
E
Precautionary procedure
E, A

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

What was found

(CAN) A/C DEPARTED AT APPROX 02:00 ZULU ON APR 2 ON IFR FLT TO VANCOUVER. DURING INITIAL STAGE OF CLIMB, RT ENGINE RPM BEGAN TO FLUCTUATE & OVERSPEED. PILOTS TRIED TO CONTROL IT WITH THROTTLE & PROPELLER CONTROLS BUT WHERE UNSUCCESSFUL & CHOOSE TO FEATHER ENGINE & RETURN TO PENTICTON. UPON INSPECTION MAINT CREW DISCOVERED THAT DRIVE ON PROP GOVERNOR BROKEN. GOVERNOR HAS APPROX 800 HRS SINCE OVERHAUL. GOVERNOR REMOVED FROM ENGINE & OVERHAULED GOVERNOR INSTALLED. A/C GROUND RUN & FOUND ACCEPTABLE FOR RETURN TO SERVICE.

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