Narrative:

Aircraft was an small transport aircraft. Preflight duties go to first officer. No mention was made of an abnormalities except for recent main on #2 inverter. Whenever I approach aircraft for flight, I check that engine plugs are removed, propellers unstrapped, tailstand stowed and chocks pulled. All was normal. Engine start, taxi, runup, and shutdown at gate normal. We were loaded and released, briefed and engine startup, taxi and takeoff all normal per regulations, company procedures, and manufacturer's checklists. 10 mins into flight, I noticed oil temperature on left engine (turboprop engine) was at redline. I reduced power and informed first officer. I asked him to tap gauge to see if stuck and to monitor temperature. All other engine instruments normal. Temperature continued to rise, reduced power further and called maintenance on radios. Maintenance agreed with my decision to secure engine. Engine shutdown, return to anc and landing were normal. Upon opening of engine cowl by maintenance, we found an engine plug wedged in oil cooler. When I went to stow it, I found 2 more plugs. I asked first officer where extra plugs came from. He said we were missing 1 during preflight so he obtained 1 from maintenance but did not think it was important enough to mention. Human performance: I am too trusting of others to perform their jobs adequately. First officer has been passed over repeatedly for upgrade. Possibly bored or angry. I was upgraded recently over several other pilots. Engine plugs should be secured to propellers to prevent ingestion by engine.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TWIN ENG SMT ACFT ENG GND COVER CAUSES ENG SHUTDOWN AFTER DEP WITH LOAD OF PAX.

Narrative: ACFT WAS AN SMT ACFT. PREFLT DUTIES GO TO FO. NO MENTION WAS MADE OF AN ABNORMALITIES EXCEPT FOR RECENT MAIN ON #2 INVERTER. WHENEVER I APCH ACFT FOR FLT, I CHK THAT ENG PLUGS ARE REMOVED, PROPS UNSTRAPPED, TAILSTAND STOWED AND CHOCKS PULLED. ALL WAS NORMAL. ENG START, TAXI, RUNUP, AND SHUTDOWN AT GATE NORMAL. WE WERE LOADED AND RELEASED, BRIEFED AND ENG STARTUP, TAXI AND TKOF ALL NORMAL PER REGS, COMPANY PROCS, AND MANUFACTURER'S CHKLISTS. 10 MINS INTO FLT, I NOTICED OIL TEMP ON L ENG (TURBOPROP ENG) WAS AT REDLINE. I REDUCED PWR AND INFORMED FO. I ASKED HIM TO TAP GAUGE TO SEE IF STUCK AND TO MONITOR TEMP. ALL OTHER ENG INSTS NORMAL. TEMP CONTINUED TO RISE, REDUCED PWR FURTHER AND CALLED MAINT ON RADIOS. MAINT AGREED WITH MY DECISION TO SECURE ENG. ENG SHUTDOWN, RETURN TO ANC AND LNDG WERE NORMAL. UPON OPENING OF ENG COWL BY MAINT, WE FOUND AN ENGINE PLUG WEDGED IN OIL COOLER. WHEN I WENT TO STOW IT, I FOUND 2 MORE PLUGS. I ASKED FO WHERE EXTRA PLUGS CAME FROM. HE SAID WE WERE MISSING 1 DURING PREFLT SO HE OBTAINED 1 FROM MAINT BUT DID NOT THINK IT WAS IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO MENTION. HUMAN PERFORMANCE: I AM TOO TRUSTING OF OTHERS TO PERFORM THEIR JOBS ADEQUATELY. FO HAS BEEN PASSED OVER REPEATEDLY FOR UPGRADE. POSSIBLY BORED OR ANGRY. I WAS UPGRADED RECENTLY OVER SEVERAL OTHER PLTS. ENG PLUGS SHOULD BE SECURED TO PROPS TO PREVENT INGESTION BY ENG.

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.