Service difficulty report · Gear · Piper PA31

Difficulty date
April 17, 2002
Submitted
May 7, 2002
Operation
General aviation
Make and model
Piper PA31
Aircraft time
11,745 hours
Engine
Lyc TIO540A2B
Part
Gear
Part number
76786
Condition
Broken
Location
Crankshaft
Stage of operation
CL
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
R, Y, J
Precautionary procedure
A

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

What was found

(CAN) DURING CLIMB, RT ENGINE SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND FEATHERED. CREW RETURNED FOR LANDING. MAINT CREW DISPATCHED AND REPLACED ENGINE WITH OVERHAULED ENGINE. A/C RETURNED TO SERVICE. THE REAR CASE OF FAILED ENGINE REMOVED, CRANKGEAR FOUND TO HAVE FAILED. IT APPEARS TO HAVE LOST ONE TOOTH, WHICH WOULD HAVE MISS TIMED ENGINE, THEN REMAINING TEETH WERE SUBSEQUENTLY ALL REMOVED, RESULTING IN ALL ACCESSORIES BEING DISCONNECTED FROM CRANKSHAFT. MATING GEARS WERE ALL INTACT AND SUSTAINED ONLY VERY MINOR COLLATERAL DAMAGE. ALL OF ACCESSORIES WERE FOUND TO BE SERVICEABLE WHEN REMOVED AND NOT A FACTOR IN FAILURE.

More about the Piper PA-31