Service difficulty report · Lifter · Piper PA31

Difficulty date
January 30, 2010
Submitted
March 1, 2010
Operation
General aviation
Make and model
Piper PA31
Aircraft time
7,965 hours
Engine
Lyc IO540M1A5
Propeller
Hartzl HCE2YR2
Part
Lifter
Condition
Broken
Location
Nr 2 Cylinder
Part time
2,056 hours
Stage of operation
NR
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
R
Precautionary procedure
E

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

What was found

(CAN) SHORT WHILE AFTER TAKEOFF OIL PRESSURE ON THE LT ENGINE STARTED FALLING BELOW THE GREEN. RPM ALSO STARTED FALLING. WHEN OIL PRESSURE CAME CLOSE TO RED LINE, PILOT PULLED FEATHER (PROP) & SHUTDOWN THE ENGINE. AFTER INSP OF THE ENG, IT WAS FOUND THAT NR 3 CYLINDER HAD LOW COMPRESSION & METAL FILLINGS IN THE OIL SCREEN & OIL FILTER. ENG WAS REMOVED FROM ACFT, REMOVED ALL CYLINDERS & FOUND THAT NR2 CYL INTAKE LIFTER HAD BROKEN OFF CAUSING INTERNAL DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE.

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