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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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The pilot of an atx small aircraft twin hit turbulence associated with thunderstorms in the area and inadvertently turned off the right magneto to the right engine. This caused him to think that the engine was possibly going to fail. He declared an emergency and started to divert. This led to a series of maneuvers which somewhat complicated his situation. However, he finally recognized the source of his engine malfunction and corrected it and canceled his emergency.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 378754 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199708 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : tus |
| State Reference | AZ |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 12000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zab |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 135 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude other other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air taxi |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 3900 flight time type : 750 |
| ASRS Report | 378754 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : overcame equipment problem other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation other |
Narrative:
On sep/xa/97, I departed tus airport, returning to my home base of blanding, ut. At approximately 50 NM north, I entered an area of twring cumulus clouds and scattered showers. I decided to climb above the cloud bases to find smooth air when I encountered very strong turbulence for a short time. I reduced airspeed and continued my climb looking for smooth air. After a couple of mins, I again encountered strong turbulence. After the turbulence subsided I noticed an unusual engine instrument indication. The right manifold pressure indicated several inches high. I rehearsed (reviewed) the single engine emergency procedures and made sure all levers and switches weren't disturbed. I again ran into strong turbulence and decided to make a precautionary landing at globe, az, airport. I was worried the right turbo was malfunctioning and wanted to land. Because of twring clouds and limited forward visibility and intermittent turbulence, I reduced power a lot to descend. In order to descend more rapidly and protect the right engine, I reduced its power to idle. While maneuvering to find globe airport, I inadvertently got very close to twring cumulus clouds and R2310A&B. While maneuvering to find globe, I squawked 7700 and declared an emergency on 121.5. As I approached the mountain near globe, I realized that the right magneto on the right engine was turned off. I turned it back on and waited for any strange signs. Then I gradually increased power to match the left engine and again waited for strange signs. I then realized that I must have hit the magneto switch during some turbulence and turned it off. I canceled my emergency on the radio and squawked 1200 again and resumed normal navigation to my home base. I experienced no further problems with the aircraft.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: THE PLT OF AN ATX SMA TWIN HIT TURB ASSOCIATED WITH TSTMS IN THE AREA AND INADVERTENTLY TURNED OFF THE R MAGNETO TO THE R ENG. THIS CAUSED HIM TO THINK THAT THE ENG WAS POSSIBLY GOING TO FAIL. HE DECLARED AN EMER AND STARTED TO DIVERT. THIS LED TO A SERIES OF MANEUVERS WHICH SOMEWHAT COMPLICATED HIS SIT. HOWEVER, HE FINALLY RECOGNIZED THE SOURCE OF HIS ENG MALFUNCTION AND CORRECTED IT AND CANCELED HIS EMER.
Narrative: ON SEP/XA/97, I DEPARTED TUS ARPT, RETURNING TO MY HOME BASE OF BLANDING, UT. AT APPROX 50 NM N, I ENTERED AN AREA OF TWRING CUMULUS CLOUDS AND SCATTERED SHOWERS. I DECIDED TO CLB ABOVE THE CLOUD BASES TO FIND SMOOTH AIR WHEN I ENCOUNTERED VERY STRONG TURB FOR A SHORT TIME. I REDUCED AIRSPD AND CONTINUED MY CLB LOOKING FOR SMOOTH AIR. AFTER A COUPLE OF MINS, I AGAIN ENCOUNTERED STRONG TURB. AFTER THE TURB SUBSIDED I NOTICED AN UNUSUAL ENG INST INDICATION. THE R MANIFOLD PRESSURE INDICATED SEVERAL INCHES HIGH. I REHEARSED (REVIEWED) THE SINGLE ENG EMER PROCS AND MADE SURE ALL LEVERS AND SWITCHES WEREN'T DISTURBED. I AGAIN RAN INTO STRONG TURB AND DECIDED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG AT GLOBE, AZ, ARPT. I WAS WORRIED THE R TURBO WAS MALFUNCTIONING AND WANTED TO LAND. BECAUSE OF TWRING CLOUDS AND LIMITED FORWARD VISIBILITY AND INTERMITTENT TURB, I REDUCED PWR A LOT TO DSND. IN ORDER TO DSND MORE RAPIDLY AND PROTECT THE R ENG, I REDUCED ITS PWR TO IDLE. WHILE MANEUVERING TO FIND GLOBE ARPT, I INADVERTENTLY GOT VERY CLOSE TO TWRING CUMULUS CLOUDS AND R2310A&B. WHILE MANEUVERING TO FIND GLOBE, I SQUAWKED 7700 AND DECLARED AN EMER ON 121.5. AS I APCHED THE MOUNTAIN NEAR GLOBE, I REALIZED THAT THE R MAGNETO ON THE R ENG WAS TURNED OFF. I TURNED IT BACK ON AND WAITED FOR ANY STRANGE SIGNS. THEN I GRADUALLY INCREASED PWR TO MATCH THE L ENG AND AGAIN WAITED FOR STRANGE SIGNS. I THEN REALIZED THAT I MUST HAVE HIT THE MAGNETO SWITCH DURING SOME TURB AND TURNED IT OFF. I CANCELED MY EMER ON THE RADIO AND SQUAWKED 1200 AGAIN AND RESUMED NORMAL NAV TO MY HOME BASE. I EXPERIENCED NO FURTHER PROBS WITH THE ACFT.
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.