<< >> NASA ASRS Report 526909, September 2001

A PA31 atx pilot is mandated to return land when his engines start to indicate a rising cylinder head temperature on climb out from dfw, tx.

Attributes
ACN	526909
Time
Date	200109
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl single value : 50
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	PA-31 Navajo Chieftan/Mojave/Navajo T1020
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : initial
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 2000 flight time type : 130
ASRS Report	526909
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : cylinder head temp gauge other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : diverted to another airport other
Consequence	other other Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance Company
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Upon successful rotation of the PA31 aircraft, I checked the engine instruments and noticed a rapidly rising cylinder head temperature on the left engine and a cylinder head temperature rising faster than normal on the right engine. I crosschecked the other engine gauges and found nothing abnormal. The cylinder head temperatures continued to rise and so I requested an immediate return. I brought the power back, leveled off the airplane and entered the traffic pattern for runway 18R. I opened the cowl flaps. The cylinder head temperatures began to cool off. I began to wonder what might be going on and then I realized I had not sumped the fuel tanks and a recent review of the manual led me to suspect fuel contamination. I landed the airplane without incident and then taxied off the runway and shut down. I verified fuel contamination and then informed the controller that I would not be able to restart and would need to be towed to the ramp.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA31 ATX PLT IS MANDATED TO RETURN LAND WHEN HIS ENGS START TO INDICATE A RISING CYLINDER HEAD TEMP ON CLBOUT FROM DFW, TX.

Narrative: UPON SUCCESSFUL ROTATION OF THE PA31 ACFT, I CHKED THE ENG INSTS AND NOTICED A RAPIDLY RISING CYLINDER HEAD TEMP ON THE L ENG AND A CYLINDER HEAD TEMP RISING FASTER THAN NORMAL ON THE R ENG. I XCHKED THE OTHER ENG GAUGES AND FOUND NOTHING ABNORMAL. THE CYLINDER HEAD TEMPS CONTINUED TO RISE AND SO I REQUESTED AN IMMEDIATE RETURN. I BROUGHT THE PWR BACK, LEVELED OFF THE AIRPLANE AND ENTERED THE TFC PATTERN FOR RWY 18R. I OPENED THE COWL FLAPS. THE CYLINDER HEAD TEMPS BEGAN TO COOL OFF. I BEGAN TO WONDER WHAT MIGHT BE GOING ON AND THEN I REALIZED I HAD NOT SUMPED THE FUEL TANKS AND A RECENT REVIEW OF THE MANUAL LED ME TO SUSPECT FUEL CONTAMINATION. I LANDED THE AIRPLANE WITHOUT INCIDENT AND THEN TAXIED OFF THE RWY AND SHUT DOWN. I VERIFIED FUEL CONTAMINATION AND THEN INFORMED THE CTLR THAT I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO RESTART AND WOULD NEED TO BE TOWED TO THE RAMP.

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.