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Small transport experienced apparent failure of turbocharger system resulting in eventual engine shutdown and single engine landing. Unable callback.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 127054 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198910 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : msn |
| State Reference | WI |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : msn tracon : bwi |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng |
| Flight Phase | descent other landing other other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 1850 flight time type : 300 |
| ASRS Report | 127054 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Qualification | controller : non radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
Shut down left engine due to sparks from turbocharger area. At first idled engine, then later shut down and feathered completely. Considered landing at nearby uncontrolled field, but did not due to: crash/fire/rescue availability, VASI lights in sight, and familiarity with madison, wi airport. Uncontrolled field was unfamiliar to me, runway lights there were not seen until southeast of that airport and established for madison. At this decision point, no sparks were seen in feathered engine, and right engine was fine (good temperature, smooth, good performance). Landed without incident at madison, wi. Lessons to be learned include: the sudden loss of performance that could always happen at any time, the reality of hot turbochargers and their idiosyncrasies in light twins, ie, the certainty of this reality, and the great benefit of well-outfitted airports and their importance to aviation. Also, this event reemphasized the fact that one should always expect to 'lose one' when flying multi-engine aircraft.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SMT EXPERIENCED APPARENT FAILURE OF TURBOCHARGER SYSTEM RESULTING IN EVENTUAL ENGINE SHUTDOWN AND SINGLE ENGINE LNDG. UNABLE CALLBACK.
Narrative: SHUT DOWN LEFT ENGINE DUE TO SPARKS FROM TURBOCHARGER AREA. AT FIRST IDLED ENGINE, THEN LATER SHUT DOWN AND FEATHERED COMPLETELY. CONSIDERED LNDG AT NEARBY UNCONTROLLED FIELD, BUT DID NOT DUE TO: CRASH/FIRE/RESCUE AVAILABILITY, VASI LIGHTS IN SIGHT, AND FAMILIARITY WITH MADISON, WI ARPT. UNCONTROLLED FIELD WAS UNFAMILIAR TO ME, RWY LIGHTS THERE WERE NOT SEEN UNTIL SE OF THAT ARPT AND ESTABLISHED FOR MADISON. AT THIS DECISION POINT, NO SPARKS WERE SEEN IN FEATHERED ENGINE, AND RIGHT ENGINE WAS FINE (GOOD TEMPERATURE, SMOOTH, GOOD PERFORMANCE). LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT AT MADISON, WI. LESSONS TO BE LEARNED INCLUDE: THE SUDDEN LOSS OF PERFORMANCE THAT COULD ALWAYS HAPPEN AT ANY TIME, THE REALITY OF HOT TURBOCHARGERS AND THEIR IDIOSYNCRASIES IN LIGHT TWINS, IE, THE CERTAINTY OF THIS REALITY, AND THE GREAT BENEFIT OF WELL-OUTFITTED ARPTS AND THEIR IMPORTANCE TO AVIATION. ALSO, THIS EVENT REEMPHASIZED THE FACT THAT ONE SHOULD ALWAYS EXPECT TO 'LOSE ONE' WHEN FLYING MULTI-ENGINE ACFT.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.