Service difficulty report · Stud · Piper PA31

Difficulty date
May 7, 2002
Submitted
May 31, 2002
Operation
General aviation
Make and model
Piper PA31
Aircraft time
16,797 hours
Engine
Lyc TIO540A2B
Part
Stud
Part number
3813
Condition
Broken
Location
Cylinder
Stage of operation
CR
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
E, K, J
Precautionary procedure
E

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

What was found

(CAN) MAY 7, 2002. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED YVR ON A NORMAL POSITIONING FLIGHT TO YYJ. ABOUT 15 MILES OUT OF YYJ, THE CREW NOTED A ROUGHNESS IN THE LT ENGINE FOLLOWED BY OIL COMING OUT OF THE COWLING, AND ELECTED TO PERFORM A PRECAUTIONARY SHUTDOWN. LANDED IN YYJ WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE 3/8 INCH DIAMETER STUD P/N 38-13 AT THE 1:00 POSITION ON THE NR 2 CYLINDER HAD FAILED JUST BELOW THE CASE SURFACE UNDER THE CYLINDER MOUNTING FLANGE. LOSS OF THIS STUD CAUSED RAPID FAILURE OF THE OTHER 3 STUDS ON THE UPPER FLANGE OF THIS CYLINDER, UNSEATING THE BASE SEAL AND RELEASING OIL. THE LOWER STUDS WERE ALL INTACT AND HOLDING THE CYLINDER IN PLACE.

More about the Piper PA-31