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A SR20 instructor pilot reported that on the ground after a 2.5 hour flight; blue streaks were observed on the cowl. Maintenance personnel discovered that a portion of the fuel metering system was missing.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 1370447 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201607 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601-1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | ZZZ.Airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | SR20 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | Parked |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Component | |
| Aircraft Component | Powerplant Fuel Distribution |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Instructor Pilot Not Flying |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Commercial Flight Crew Flight Instructor |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe Deviation - Procedural Maintenance Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue |
Narrative:
Aircraft took off with 50 gallons of fuel on a 296 NM [cross country flight]. After 2.5 hours of flight time; flight crew decided to stop to break and potentially pick up fuel. At this time mfd showed 24 gallons of fuel used; and 26 gallons remaining. Fuel flow and power settings had shown normal throughout flight. When crew returned to the aircraft; instructor pilot (ip) noticed blue streaks over top; sides; and bottom of cowling. Excessive oil leakage was also noted on cowling. Ip decided to call maintenance. When maintenance personnel arrived and removed cowling; he found that the cap to the fuel flow pressure metering valve (on top of the cylinders) was missing. His assessment was that maintenance had forgotten to replace cap during last fuel setup flight. As a result; fuel had been spraying freely and excessively out of the valve and into the cowling area; over the engine and leaking out the bottom during the previous 2.5 hour flight. Potential outcomes as stated by maintenance could have been engine fire or running out of fuel without adverse indication from mfd.neither the valve nor cap are visible with cowling in place. This could therefore not have been discovered during normal preflight. In my opinion; responsibility rests on maintenance and is a clear case of negligence on their behalf.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A SR20 instructor pilot reported that on the ground after a 2.5 hour flight; blue streaks were observed on the cowl. Maintenance personnel discovered that a portion of the fuel metering system was missing.
Narrative: Aircraft took off with 50 gallons of fuel on a 296 NM [cross country flight]. After 2.5 hours of flight time; flight crew decided to stop to break and potentially pick up fuel. At this time MFD showed 24 gallons of fuel used; and 26 gallons remaining. Fuel flow and power settings had shown normal throughout flight. When crew returned to the aircraft; Instructor Pilot (IP) noticed blue streaks over top; sides; and bottom of cowling. Excessive oil leakage was also noted on cowling. IP decided to call maintenance. When maintenance personnel arrived and removed cowling; he found that the cap to the fuel flow pressure metering valve (on top of the cylinders) was missing. His assessment was that maintenance had forgotten to replace cap during last fuel setup flight. As a result; fuel had been spraying freely and excessively out of the valve and into the cowling area; over the engine and leaking out the bottom during the previous 2.5 hour flight. Potential outcomes as stated by maintenance could have been engine fire or running out of fuel without adverse indication from MFD.Neither the valve nor cap are visible with cowling in place. This could therefore not have been discovered during normal preflight. In my opinion; responsibility rests on maintenance and is a clear case of negligence on their behalf.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.