Service difficulty report · Filter · Pilats PC1247

Difficulty date
February 23, 2025
Submitted
February 25, 2025
Operation
Air carrier
Aircraft
N959MA
Make and model
Pilats PC1247
Aircraft serial
684
Aircraft time
8,955 hours, 9,199 cycles
Part
Filter
Condition
Bypassing
Location
Fuel System
Stage of operation
NR
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
J
Precautionary procedure
A

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

What was found

AFTER TAKEOFF OUT KLBF, DURING THE CLIMB OUT, THE CAWS PANEL FUEL PRESSURE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. I RAN THROUGH THE QRH CHECKLIST FOR THAT ANNUNCIATOR WHICH EXTINGUISHED THE ANNUNCIATOR AND THEN IMMEDIATELY ASKED ATC FOR A RETURN TO KLBF. A THEN SAFE AND UNEVENTFUL RETURN TO KLBF WAS ACCOMPLISHED. THE QRH CHECKLIST FOR THIS ITEM STATES THAT THIS ANNUNCIATOR INDICATES LESS THAN 2 PSI OF FUEL SYSTEM PRESSURE AND THAT A POSSIBLE CAUSE FOR THIS IS A FUEL FILTER BLOCKED WITH ICE CRYSTALS. THE FUEL WAS SUMPED DURING PREFLIGHT AND POSTFLIGHT AND THERE WAS NO WATER OR SEDIMENT IN EITHER SAMPLE. DURING THE POSTFLIGHT INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT IT WAS NOTED THAT THE FUEL FILTER WAS NOT BYPASSED AS PER THE BYPASS VALVE INDICATOR ON THE FUEL FILTER. THIS IS EVIDENCE THAT THE FUEL FILTER WAS NOT BLOCKED. I ALWAYS HAVE EVERY FBO ADD PRIST WHEN REFUELING. I ALWAYS MONITOR THE REFUELING PROCESS TO ENSURE THAT THE PROPER FUEL TYPE IS BEING ADDED AND AT THE CORRECT AMOUNT AND, IF THE FUEL TRUCK IS NOT PREMIXED WITH PRIST, I CONFIRM THAT THE PRIST PUMP IS OPERATING CORRECTLY.