Service difficulty report · Fuel Heater · Beech 200BEECH

Difficulty date
January 28, 2011
Submitted
March 15, 2011
Operation
Air carrier
Make and model
Beech 200BEECH
Aircraft time
18,448 hours
Engine
Pwa PT6A42
Part
Fuel Heater
Part number
10585K
Condition
Leaking
Location
Engine
Part time
755 hours
Stage of operation
CR
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
K
Precautionary procedure
E

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

What was found

(CAN) OIL PRESSURE SLOWLY DECREASED DURING CRIUSE FLIGHT AT NIGHT. PILOTS SHUTDOWN AND SECURED ENGINE WHEN THE OIL PRESSURE FELL TO THE LIMIT FOR THE ENGINE OPERATING PARAMETERS. UPON INVESTIGATION THE AME DISCOVERED THAT THE OIL LOSS WAS FROM A CRACKED OIL FUEL HEATER AT THE BACK OF THE ENGINE. THE FUEL OIL HEATER WAS REPLACED, OIL ADDED TO THE ENGINE AND THE AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO SERVICE. WE HAVE HAD A SIMILAR FAILURE OF OVERHAULED FUEL OIL HEATERS TWICE IN THE PAST IN THE SAME MODEL OF AIRCRAFT.