Service difficulty report · Exhaust Pipe · Piper PA31350

Difficulty date
August 16, 2011
Submitted
August 16, 2011
Operation
Air carrier
Aircraft
N600TS
Make and model
Piper PA31350
Aircraft serial
317305047
Aircraft time
27,151 hours, 31,267 cycles
Engine
Lyc LTIO540J2B
Engine time
12,955 hours, 12,864 cycles
Part
Exhaust Pipe
Part number
40310010
Condition
Damaged
Location
Rt Engine
Stage of operation
CR
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
S, R, Y
Precautionary procedure
A

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

What was found

IN CRUISE FLIGHT, RT ENGINE STARTED SPUTTERING BECAUSE THE RT OUTBOARD FUEL TANK WAS GOING EMPTY. THE PILOT SWITCHED BOTH FUEL TANKS TO THE INBOARDS AND AT THAT POINT THE RT ENGINE FAILED. THE PILOT FOLLOWED THE FAILED ENGINE PROCEDURE AND TRIED TO RESTART THE RT ENGINE, WOULD NOT RE-START. PILOT INFORMED ATC OF THE SITUATION. DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND LANDED AT MAE WITHOUT INCIDENT. MX ATTEMPTED TO RE-START THE RT ENGINE WITH NO SUCCESS. INSPECTED THE ENGINE AND FOUND THAT THE EXHAUST PIPE FROM THE TURBO CHARGER TO THE OVERBOARD TAIL PIPE HAD A 2" X 2" HOLE NEAR THE FIREWALL. SUSPECT THE HOLE WAS FROM "AFTER FIRE" THROUGH THE EXHAUST SYSTEM AS THE ENGINE WAS "SPUTTERING" BEFORE IT QUIT. THE FIREWALL WAS INSPECTED FOR HEAT DAMAGE AND FOUND TO BE IN SERVICEABLE CONDITION. FOUND THE HOT EXHAUST FROM THE HOLE IN THE PIPE HAD ENTERED THROUGH THE COWL FLAP HINGE CUT-OUTS IN THE FIREWALL AND MELTED THE INSULATION ON THE MAGNETO "P" LEAD WIRES CAUSING THE "P" LEAD WIRES TO SHORT TO GROUND. THESE WIRES BEING SHORTED TO GROUND WAS THE CAUSE OF THE ENGINE NOT RE-STARTING. THE WIRES WERE REPAIRED. DUE TO THE HIGH TIME OF THE RT ENGINE (91.1 HOURS REMAINING BEFORE OVERHAUL)FOR PRE-CAUTIONARY REASONS THE RT ENGINE IS BEING REPLACED.

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