Service difficulty report · Turbocharger · Piper PA31350

Difficulty date
May 21, 2009
Submitted
August 3, 2009
Operation
General aviation
Make and model
Piper PA31350
Aircraft time
18,692 hours
Engine
Lyc TIO540J2B
Part
Turbocharger
Part number
LW12463
Part serial
ICL614
Condition
Failed
Location
Lt Engine
Stage of operation
CL
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
R
Precautionary procedure
A

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

What was found

(CAN) AFTER TAKEOFF, CREW NOTICED THE LT ENG STARTED RUNNING ROUGH & FOLLOWED BY A PARTIAL POWER LOSS. RETURNED TO AIRFIELD & LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT, TOWER NOTED SMOKE COMING FROM LT ENGINE. AFTER LANDING, OIL WAS DRIPPING FROM EXHAUST STACK & GEAR COVERED IN OIL. MX REMOVED EXHAUST PIPE FROM TURBOCHARGER & FOUND OIL INSIDE TURBO. TURBINE BLADES HAD HIT HOUSING, SHAFT BENT & VERY SLOPPY. BEARING FAILURE SUSPECTED. OIL FILTER & SUCTION SCREEN INSPECTED FOR METAL CONTAMINATION & TRACES FOUND BUT NOT SIGNIFICANT. NEW FILTER INSTALLED. COMPRESSION CHECKED ON ALL CYLINDERS AS PRECAUTION, ALL SERVICEABLE. FAULTY TURBOCHARGER REPLACED WITH AN OVERHAULED TURBO. ACFT GROUND RUN FOR FUNCTION CHECK & LEAK CHECK, & RELEASED PENDING A SATISFACTORY FLT TEST. ACFT FLOWN BACK TO MAIN BASE WHERE OIL WAS DRAINED & FILTERED, SUCTION SCREEN & OIL FILTER INSPECTED FOR CONTAMINATION. NO CONTAMINATES FOUND. NEW FILTER INSTALLED & OIL REPLENISHED WITH NEW. ACFT RETURNED TO SERVICE.

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