Narrative:

Departing runway 3 all indications normal. After flap retraction #1 engine flamed out autofeathered, and uptrimmed. Completed proper checklists notified ATC (declared an emergency). Landed without incident. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that the aircraft type was a DH-8. The engine had not flamed out as reported. It was learned that the engine was still running after the propeller autofeathered due to low engine torque. However, the emergency action taken by the reporter is the same as that action taken for the flame out. It was further learned that the torque sensing unit was faulty, and that was the reason for the autofeather. Autofeather is only used for takeoffs and the fuel flow and torque indicators will show whether the engine is still running. He further stated that he had to take evasive action during shutting down the engine to avoid mountainous terrain. He also believes that the electronic propeller unit has characteristics of going in unwarranted flat pitch position causing high engine torque, no thrust and flat pitch parasite drag. Reporter states that he followed the approved checklist and the aircraft reacted and flew as he learned in the simulator. He passed on this experience to others and it will be incorporated into the training simulator course.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF SMT DECLARED AN EMER AND RETURNED TO LAND AFTER ONE PROP AUTOFEATHERED AND THE ENG SHUTDOWN DURING INITIAL CLBOUT AFTER TKOF.

Narrative: DEPARTING RWY 3 ALL INDICATIONS NORMAL. AFTER FLAP RETRACTION #1 ENG FLAMED OUT AUTOFEATHERED, AND UPTRIMMED. COMPLETED PROPER CHKLISTS NOTIFIED ATC (DECLARED AN EMER). LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE ACFT TYPE WAS A DH-8. THE ENG HAD NOT FLAMED OUT AS RPTED. IT WAS LEARNED THAT THE ENG WAS STILL RUNNING AFTER THE PROP AUTOFEATHERED DUE TO LOW ENG TORQUE. HOWEVER, THE EMER ACTION TAKEN BY THE RPTR IS THE SAME AS THAT ACTION TAKEN FOR THE FLAME OUT. IT WAS FURTHER LEARNED THAT THE TORQUE SENSING UNIT WAS FAULTY, AND THAT WAS THE REASON FOR THE AUTOFEATHER. AUTOFEATHER IS ONLY USED FOR TKOFS AND THE FUEL FLOW AND TORQUE INDICATORS WILL SHOW WHETHER THE ENG IS STILL RUNNING. HE FURTHER STATED THAT HE HAD TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION DURING SHUTTING DOWN THE ENG TO AVOID MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. HE ALSO BELIEVES THAT THE ELECTRONIC PROP UNIT HAS CHARACTERISTICS OF GOING IN UNWARRANTED FLAT PITCH POS CAUSING HIGH ENG TORQUE, NO THRUST AND FLAT PITCH PARASITE DRAG. RPTR STATES THAT HE FOLLOWED THE APPROVED CHKLIST AND THE ACFT REACTED AND FLEW AS HE LEARNED IN THE SIMULATOR. HE PASSED ON THIS EXPERIENCE TO OTHERS AND IT WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO THE TRAINING SIMULATOR COURSE.

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.