Precautionary landing due to engine surge on descent.

Attributes
ACN	105131
Time
Date	198902
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : jfk
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 13 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 2800 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	105131
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was on a descent when reaching about 4500' MSL. The right engine started to surge. Our destination was frg but rather than taking a chance I elected to make a precautionary landing at jfk. After I made a landing on 22L and taxied off runway, the left engine started running rough and stalled. We taxied to the GA ramp and after shutdown I drained 2 cups of water from the right fuel tank and 2 cups from the left fuel tank. I decided to take on 12 gal of fuel per side and flush out as much as was possible. After we received fuel I drained another cup of water on each side. I believe the problem was that we had water condensation from the descent and rapid change in temperature. I think I made the correct choice.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PRECAUTIONARY LNDG DUE TO ENGINE SURGE ON DESCENT.

Narrative: I WAS ON A DSCNT WHEN REACHING ABOUT 4500' MSL. THE R ENG STARTED TO SURGE. OUR DEST WAS FRG BUT RATHER THAN TAKING A CHANCE I ELECTED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG AT JFK. AFTER I MADE A LNDG ON 22L AND TAXIED OFF RWY, THE L ENG STARTED RUNNING ROUGH AND STALLED. WE TAXIED TO THE GA RAMP AND AFTER SHUTDOWN I DRAINED 2 CUPS OF WATER FROM THE R FUEL TANK AND 2 CUPS FROM THE L FUEL TANK. I DECIDED TO TAKE ON 12 GAL OF FUEL PER SIDE AND FLUSH OUT AS MUCH AS WAS POSSIBLE. AFTER WE RECEIVED FUEL I DRAINED ANOTHER CUP OF WATER ON EACH SIDE. I BELIEVE THE PROB WAS THAT WE HAD WATER CONDENSATION FROM THE DSCNT AND RAPID CHANGE IN TEMP. I THINK I MADE THE CORRECT CHOICE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.