Narrative:

En route from tpa to dca on initial descent got vibration in #2 engine. Got alert on mfds (multi function display) showing excessive vibrations and also could feel airframe vibrations, and recieved report from F/as. Reduced power to idle on #2 and engine vibrations continued. Found could not increase power on #2 above idle or vibration 'alert' would occur. Thus essentially single engine, aircraft APU was on 'MEL' and unavailable. I elected not to shut down #2 engine as there were no secondary indications and engine provided a second generator and partial thrust. Elected to divert to ric from present position rather than attempt a position single engine land into congested dca which also had strong gusty winds, approximately 25 KTS. I did not declare an emergency which may have expedited my ATC handling, which although expedious required several intermediate level offs, a slight problem at the higher altitudes with only one engine at full power. Landing at ric normal. Mechanics found an engine vibration dampener misaligned causing metal to metal contact and vibration. The same type aircraft owned by company had a similar problem and engine shutdown previously. This is possibly a design flaw in a new aircraft. As usual company pilots are last to be informed of such problems. The company should publish all aircraft problems and this be made known and available to pilots.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW DETECTED VIBRATION IN RIGHT ENGINE OF MLG. DIVERTED TO NEAREST RIC, VA.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM TPA TO DCA ON INITIAL DSNT GOT VIBRATION IN #2 ENG. GOT ALERT ON MFDS (MULTI FUNCTION DISPLAY) SHOWING EXCESSIVE VIBRATIONS AND ALSO COULD FEEL AIRFRAME VIBRATIONS, AND RECIEVED RPT FROM F/AS. REDUCED PWR TO IDLE ON #2 AND ENG VIBRATIONS CONTINUED. FOUND COULD NOT INCREASE PWR ON #2 ABOVE IDLE OR VIBRATION 'ALERT' WOULD OCCUR. THUS ESSENTIALLY SINGLE ENG, ACFT APU WAS ON 'MEL' AND UNAVAILABLE. I ELECTED NOT TO SHUT DOWN #2 ENG AS THERE WERE NO SECONDARY INDICATIONS AND ENG PROVIDED A SEC GENERATOR AND PARTIAL THRUST. ELECTED TO DIVERT TO RIC FROM PRESENT POS RATHER THAN ATTEMPT A POS SINGLE ENG LAND INTO CONGESTED DCA WHICH ALSO HAD STRONG GUSTY WINDS, APPROX 25 KTS. I DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER WHICH MAY HAVE EXPEDITED MY ATC HANDLING, WHICH ALTHOUGH EXPEDIOUS REQUIRED SEVERAL INTERMEDIATE LEVEL OFFS, A SLIGHT PROB AT THE HIGHER ALTS WITH ONLY ONE ENG AT FULL PWR. LNDG AT RIC NORMAL. MECHS FOUND AN ENG VIBRATION DAMPENER MISALIGNED CAUSING METAL TO METAL CONTACT AND VIBRATION. THE SAME TYPE ACFT OWNED BY COMPANY HAD A SIMILAR PROB AND ENG SHUTDOWN PREVIOUSLY. THIS IS POSSIBLY A DESIGN FLAW IN A NEW ACFT. AS USUAL COMPANY PLTS ARE LAST TO BE INFORMED OF SUCH PROBS. THE COMPANY SHOULD PUBLISH ALL ACFT PROBS AND THIS BE MADE KNOWN AND AVAILABLE TO PLTS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.