Service difficulty report · Stud · Piper PA31350

Difficulty date
November 6, 2009
Submitted
December 1, 2009
Operation
General aviation
Make and model
Piper PA31350
Aircraft time
20,294 hours
Engine
Lyc LTIO540J2BD
Propeller
Hartzl HCE3YR2A
Part
Stud
Condition
Sheared
Location
Nr 4 Cylinder
Stage of operation
NR
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
Y
Precautionary procedure
B

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

What was found

(CAN) WHILE IN THE CRUISE PORTION OF FLIGHT, DETECTED A SLIGHT VIBRATION, YAWING OF ACFT AND DROP IN MANIFOLD PRESSURE ON RT ENG. AFTER INCREASING PROP RPM TO HELP REMOVE SUSPECTED PROP ICING THEY WERE UNABLE TO MAINTAIN MANIFOLD PRESSURE WHICH RESULTED IN AN IN-FLIGHT SHUTDOWN OF RT ENG WHILE APPROACHING DESTINATION. A SUCCESSFUL SINGLE ENG LANDING WAS COMPLETED AND AIRPLANE WAS TOWED INTO HANGAR. IT APPEARS RT ENG DAMAGED THE FOLLOWING, NR 4 CYL RETAINING STUDS HAD ALL SHEARED NR4 CYL HAD DETACHED FROM THE CRANKCASE, ONE NR 4 CONNECTING ROD BOLT HAD SHEARED AND THE CONNECTING ROD HAD DETACHED FROM THE CRANKSHAFT ASSOCIATED NR 4 INLET TUBE, VALVE PUSH ROD TUBES AND EXHAUST PIPE HAD ALL DETACHED FROM ENG ONE CAM FOLLOWER HAD DROPPED INTO COWLING INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF CRANKCASE WERE BADLY DAMAGED AND FRACTURED NR3 CYL BASE WAS DISTORTED/FRACTURED CRANKSHAFT NR4 BRG SURFACE HAS IMPACT DAMAGE. CYL HAD DETACHED FROM THE CRANKCASE AND THEN PISTON HAD BEEN PULLED FROM THE CYL ON DOWN STROKE. PISTON DROPPED AND THE SKIRT LEFT WITNESS MARKS IN CRANKCASE WHERE IT HAD JAMMED. THIS SUDDEN STOPPAGE OF PISTON RESULTED IN FAILURE OF A CONNECTING ROD BOLT WHICH ALLOWED THE CAP TO OPEN AND FREE CONNECTING ROD FROM THE CRANKSHAFT. DURING THIS TIME OPPOSITE CYL (NR3) WAS HIT WITHIN THE CRANKCASE, DISTORTING THE BASE OF CYL SO IT COULD NOT BE REMOVED ON STRIP DOWN.

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