Service difficulty report · Sending Unit · Piper PA31350

Difficulty date
May 16, 1998
Submitted
March 26, 2000
Operation
Air carrier
Aircraft
N15PR
Make and model
Piper PA31350
Aircraft serial
318052011
Part
Sending Unit
Condition
Failed
Location
Fuel Syst
Stage of operation
CR
Nature of condition
Y
Precautionary procedure
A

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

What was found

WHILE IN CRUISE, THE PILOT NOTED A RAPID DROP IN FUEL QTY INDICATION. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE LT ENG LOST POWER. FOLLOWED BY A RT ENG POWER LOSS 2 MIN LATER. A SUCCESSFUL LANDING WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, IT WAS FOUND THAT 5 OF THE FUEL QTY SENDING UNITS IN THE ACFT DID NOT MEET THE CORRECT OHM VALUE. THE FAULTY SENDERS WERE REPLACED AND THE ACFT WAS RETURNED TO SERVCE. SUBSEQUENTLY A FLEET WIDE SURVEY (6 ACFT) WAS CONDUCTED. APPROX 40 PERCENT OF THE SENDERS IN SERVICE WERE FOUND OUT OF TOLERENCE. IN REPLACING THESE SENDERS IT WAS NOTED THAT 50 PERCENT OF THE NEW SENDERS ACQUIRED FROM PIPER WERE ALSO OUT OF TOLERENCE AND THEREFORE REJECTED.

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