Service difficulty report · Exhaust Valve · Piper PA31350

Difficulty date
July 5, 2010
Submitted
January 4, 2011
Operation
Air carrier
Make and model
Piper PA31350
Aircraft time
18,414 hours
Engine
Lyc LTIO540J2BD
Propeller
Hartzl HCE3YR2A
Part
Exhaust Valve
Part number
LW16740
Condition
Fragmented
Location
Cylinder
Part time
1,447 hours
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

ACFT RETURNED TO DEPARTURE AIRPORT WITH ROUGH RUNNING AND PARTIAL POWER LOSS ON LT ENGINE. MX FOUND "0" COMPRESSION IN NR 3 CYLINDER DURING DPT CHECK. AFTER NR 3 CYLINDER REMOVAL FOUND EXHAUST VALVE DESTROYED AND VALVE HEAD MISSING. SMALL PORTION OF VALVE IMBEDED INTO CYLINDER COMPRESSION CHAMBER HEAD AND SEVERE GOUGING ON THE PISTON COMBUSTION SURFACE. FURTHER INVESTIGATION ALSO REVEALED TURBOCHARGER TURBINE BLADE DAMAGE. NR 3 CYL ASSY AND TURBOCHARGER REPLACED AND ENGINE OPS CHECKED SERVICEABLE.

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