Report concerning the CT210 problem of vapor lock even at high altitude. Experienced rapid power los...

Attributes
ACN	362421
Time
Date	199703
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bae
State Reference	WI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 13000 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau
Make Model Name	Cessna 210 Centurion / Turbo Centurion 210C, 210D
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : observer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 879 flight time type : 550
ASRS Report	362421
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Experienced rapid power loss in-flight. Declared an emergency and headed for mke as surface and low level winds were strong easterly. Full rich mixture remedied the problem within several seconds, but we proceeded to mke for mechanical review. Graphic engine monitor showed continued problems if any attempt to lean mixture. Diagnosis uncertain at mke. No problems found. Later became clear that T210's have a vapor lock problem. Though I knew this, I'd never seen it in yrs of flying. No real threat was present. Next time I'll be better prepared and less caught off guard. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states this is quite a common occurrence in the T210 cessna. In fact, he had just taken a system class last fall and was aware of the problem. However, when the engine lost power his first instinct was to give full rich mixture which solved the problem. He had learned the best solution was to switch tanks and that he remembered when he was discussing the situation with the mechanic during a postflt inspection. The problem occurs because the fuel system in the T210 has very small diameter fuel feed lines where they enter the engine. This is fuel injected and when all the fuel is not used it collects in a feed tank just prior to entry into the engine. Because of the small diameter of the lines the vapor does not return to the fuel vent. As it collects it creates the vapor lock. Switching to the second tank gives time for the vapor to bleed out when the tank is not in use. One T210 owner with whom reporter spoke says that he has the problem about 30 mins into each flight. The fuel system sits on top of the engine and it gets very hot creating the vapor lock problem. The cessna pilots association conducts classes to inform owners of this type of problem and that is who sponsored the class reporter took. They are a wealth of information regarding any cessna aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPT CONCERNING THE CT210 PROB OF VAPOR LOCK EVEN AT HIGH ALT. EXPERIENCED RAPID PWR LOSS, ADDED FULL RICH MIXTURE WHICH REMEDIED THE PROB.

Narrative: EXPERIENCED RAPID PWR LOSS INFLT. DECLARED AN EMER AND HEADED FOR MKE AS SURFACE AND LOW LEVEL WINDS WERE STRONG EASTERLY. FULL RICH MIXTURE REMEDIED THE PROB WITHIN SEVERAL SECONDS, BUT WE PROCEEDED TO MKE FOR MECHANICAL REVIEW. GRAPHIC ENG MONITOR SHOWED CONTINUED PROBS IF ANY ATTEMPT TO LEAN MIXTURE. DIAGNOSIS UNCERTAIN AT MKE. NO PROBS FOUND. LATER BECAME CLEAR THAT T210'S HAVE A VAPOR LOCK PROB. THOUGH I KNEW THIS, I'D NEVER SEEN IT IN YRS OF FLYING. NO REAL THREAT WAS PRESENT. NEXT TIME I'LL BE BETTER PREPARED AND LESS CAUGHT OFF GUARD. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THIS IS QUITE A COMMON OCCURRENCE IN THE T210 CESSNA. IN FACT, HE HAD JUST TAKEN A SYS CLASS LAST FALL AND WAS AWARE OF THE PROB. HOWEVER, WHEN THE ENG LOST PWR HIS FIRST INSTINCT WAS TO GIVE FULL RICH MIXTURE WHICH SOLVED THE PROB. HE HAD LEARNED THE BEST SOLUTION WAS TO SWITCH TANKS AND THAT HE REMEMBERED WHEN HE WAS DISCUSSING THE SIT WITH THE MECH DURING A POSTFLT INSPECTION. THE PROB OCCURS BECAUSE THE FUEL SYS IN THE T210 HAS VERY SMALL DIAMETER FUEL FEED LINES WHERE THEY ENTER THE ENG. THIS IS FUEL INJECTED AND WHEN ALL THE FUEL IS NOT USED IT COLLECTS IN A FEED TANK JUST PRIOR TO ENTRY INTO THE ENG. BECAUSE OF THE SMALL DIAMETER OF THE LINES THE VAPOR DOES NOT RETURN TO THE FUEL VENT. AS IT COLLECTS IT CREATES THE VAPOR LOCK. SWITCHING TO THE SECOND TANK GIVES TIME FOR THE VAPOR TO BLEED OUT WHEN THE TANK IS NOT IN USE. ONE T210 OWNER WITH WHOM RPTR SPOKE SAYS THAT HE HAS THE PROB ABOUT 30 MINS INTO EACH FLT. THE FUEL SYS SITS ON TOP OF THE ENG AND IT GETS VERY HOT CREATING THE VAPOR LOCK PROB. THE CESSNA PLTS ASSOCIATION CONDUCTS CLASSES TO INFORM OWNERS OF THIS TYPE OF PROB AND THAT IS WHO SPONSORED THE CLASS RPTR TOOK. THEY ARE A WEALTH OF INFO REGARDING ANY CESSNA 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.

Report concerning the CT210 problem of vapor lock even at high altitude. Experienced rapid power loss, added full rich mixture which remedied the problem.