Engine vibration in cruise, engine shut down and precautionary landing.

Attributes
ACN	116346
Time
Date	198907
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : phl
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phl
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 64 flight time total : 900 flight time type : 110
ASRS Report	116346
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was flying IFR phl to atl over EMI VOR when the right engine began to vibrate. I contacted center who cleared me for phl airport. I landed safety. The engine was checked by an a&P who told me it was an ignition system problem. He checked the spark plugs and told me that 4 were bad. He replaced the spark plugs. The engine ran smoother but still had a slight vibration on the left magneto. The mechanic said to run up the plane in the morning and if the vibration was gone then the plugs were the problem. If the vibration continued then he would 'troubleshoot the magneto'. The next morning I ran up the plane. The vibration was almost completely gone. I filed my IFR flight plan and took off on runway 17 IFR for pne. While climbing to 3000', the vibration returned and a large quantity of oil was streaming back over the nacelle. I notified departure and they cleared me to pne ILS 24. The oil pressure fell and temperature was increasing so I feathered the propeller and shut down the right engine. I shot the ILS 24 (ceiling 400 overcast visibility 2 mi fog) and landed safety. The engine was checked and found to have a destroyed cylinder and piston. The actual cause of the problem. In retrospect, I probably should not have left phl until the problem was completely resolved and the airplane was completely checked.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ENGINE VIBRATION IN CRUISE, ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND PRECAUTIONARY LNDG.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING IFR PHL TO ATL OVER EMI VOR WHEN THE RIGHT ENGINE BEGAN TO VIBRATE. I CONTACTED CENTER WHO CLRED ME FOR PHL ARPT. I LANDED SAFETY. THE ENGINE WAS CHECKED BY AN A&P WHO TOLD ME IT WAS AN IGNITION SYSTEM PROBLEM. HE CHECKED THE SPARK PLUGS AND TOLD ME THAT 4 WERE BAD. HE REPLACED THE SPARK PLUGS. THE ENGINE RAN SMOOTHER BUT STILL HAD A SLIGHT VIBRATION ON THE LEFT MAGNETO. THE MECHANIC SAID TO RUN UP THE PLANE IN THE MORNING AND IF THE VIBRATION WAS GONE THEN THE PLUGS WERE THE PROBLEM. IF THE VIBRATION CONTINUED THEN HE WOULD 'TROUBLESHOOT THE MAGNETO'. THE NEXT MORNING I RAN UP THE PLANE. THE VIBRATION WAS ALMOST COMPLETELY GONE. I FILED MY IFR FLT PLAN AND TOOK OFF ON RWY 17 IFR FOR PNE. WHILE CLIMBING TO 3000', THE VIBRATION RETURNED AND A LARGE QUANTITY OF OIL WAS STREAMING BACK OVER THE NACELLE. I NOTIFIED DEP AND THEY CLRED ME TO PNE ILS 24. THE OIL PRESSURE FELL AND TEMPERATURE WAS INCREASING SO I FEATHERED THE PROP AND SHUT DOWN THE RIGHT ENGINE. I SHOT THE ILS 24 (CEILING 400 OVERCAST VISIBILITY 2 MI FOG) AND LANDED SAFETY. THE ENGINE WAS CHECKED AND FOUND TO HAVE A DESTROYED CYLINDER AND PISTON. THE ACTUAL CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. IN RETROSPECT, I PROBABLY SHOULD NOT HAVE LEFT PHL UNTIL THE PROBLEM WAS COMPLETELY RESOLVED AND THE AIRPLANE WAS COMPLETELY CHECKED.

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.