Service difficulty report · Piston · Diamon DA42

Difficulty date
January 11, 2024
Submitted
January 16, 2024
Operation
General aviation
Filed by
N3XR816N
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Inc
Aircraft
N304ER
Make and model
Diamon DA42
Aircraft serial
42N203
Aircraft time
4,821 hours
Engine
E4C
Engine time
1,223 hours
Part
Piston
Condition
Cracked
Location
Nr 1 Cylinder
Part time
341 hours
Stage of operation
TO
How discovered
V
Nature of condition
J, R
Precautionary procedure
A

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

What was found

ON TAKE-OFF, THE CREW NOTICED A LOW OIL PRESSURE INDICATION VIA A WARNING ON THE G1000 FOR THE RIGHT ENGINE. AN EMERGENCY WAS DECLARED AND THE CREW LANDED SUCCESSFULLY. AN INSPECTION OF THE RIGHT ENGINE REVEALED OIL COVERING THE RIGHT WING ON BOTH SIDES OF THE NACELLE. AN OIL LEVEL CHECK REVEALED NO OIL ON THE DIPSTICK. BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF OIL ON THE WING AND GROUND, IT IS PROBABLE THERE WAS NO OIL REMAINING IN THE ENGINE. FURTHER INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE PATH OF THE LOST OIL WAS THROUGH THE BREATHER. THE CYLINDER HEAD WAS REMOVED. THE #1 CYLINDER PISTON HAD A CRACK AT THE 9 O'CLOCK POSITION. THE #3 CYLINDER HAD A SIMILAR CRACK BUT ALSO HAD A HOLE, APPROXIMATELY .0250" IN DIAMETER, NEAR THE CENTER OF THE PISTON'S RECESSED AREA. THE ENGINE WILL BE REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE. THIS ENGINE HAD AUSTRO MSB-E4-039, (AD#: 2023-20-03) COMPLIED WITH AND SINCE THAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED, THE ENGINE HAD 340.9 FLIGHT HOURS ACCUMULATED.

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