Service difficulty report · Pump · Piper PA32R300

Difficulty date
December 17, 2008
Submitted
December 23, 2008
Operation
Air carrier
Aircraft
N8954C
Make and model
Piper PA32R300
Aircraft serial
32R7680146
Aircraft time
9,515 hours
Engine
Lyc IO540K1G5D
Engine time
1,923 hours
Part
Pump
Part number
LW15473
Part serial
0306
Condition
Inoperative
Location
Fuel Sys
Part time
1,923 hours
Stage of operation
CR
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
R
Precautionary procedure
O

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

What was found

ABOUT 40 OR SO MILES FROM AIRPORT, THE ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP DIED. WHEN THE FUEL PRESSURE STARTED DROPPING THE PILOT WENT THROUGH THE "HAIL MARY" MANEUVER (SWITCH TANKS, MIXTURE RICH, CHECK THE MAGNETOS, ELECTRICAL FUEL PUMP ON). AS SOON AS HE HIT THE ELECTRICAL FUEL PUMP THE ENGINE PICKED RIGHT UP. PILOT MONITORED THE FUEL PRESSURE, BUT IT WAS SITTING RIGHT AT ZERO. PILOT TURNED THE ELECTRICAL FUEL PUMP OFF AFTER THINGS SETTLED DOWN JUST TO MAKE SURE THIS WAS THE PROBLEM, BUT THE FUEL FLOW GAUGE ALSO STARTED TO DROP AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOOSE POWER, SO HE TURNED IT BACK ON. MX REPLACED FUEL PUMP AND NO FURTHER PROBLEMS WERE NOTED.

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