A C441 returned to the field after takeoff due to power loss in #1 engine. Emergency declared.

Attributes
ACN	370727
Time
Date	199705
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bli
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Conquest I/Conquest II
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude other
Route In Use	departure other enroute airway : zse
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 7800 flight time type : 2400
ASRS Report	370727
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

During climb, experienced power loss #1, l-hand engine. Engine torque indications 300 pounds egt over red line. Feathered and secured engine. Discussed situation with ZSE. Returned to bli, declared emergency with tower for priority handling into air traffic area. Isolated problem and replaced intermittent fault in egt compensation resistor on engine. This particular problem, had it occurred at takeoff during rotation, would have created directional control difficulty. The engine computer senses overtemp and reduces power on the engine through the autotorque and temperature limiting function. The negative torque sensing system will not function with 300 pounds torque and the engine is producing more drag than thrust and will not autofeather. This situation can be isolated by switching off the autotorque and temperature limiting function to the engine computer. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: aircraft was a cessna CE441 with garrett 331 engines. The negative torque sensing computer must be used for takeoff. In this case, the power was reduced to 300 pounds of torque and the computer will not autofeather at this low torque. Propeller remained in flat pitch, high drag condition. This is a bad situation if this occurred on takeoff. The reporter did contact the FAA to file a report on this condition.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C441 RETURNED TO THE FIELD AFTER TKOF DUE TO PWR LOSS IN #1 ENG. EMER DECLARED.

Narrative: DURING CLB, EXPERIENCED PWR LOSS #1, L-HAND ENG. ENG TORQUE INDICATIONS 300 LBS EGT OVER RED LINE. FEATHERED AND SECURED ENG. DISCUSSED SIT WITH ZSE. RETURNED TO BLI, DECLARED EMER WITH TWR FOR PRIORITY HANDLING INTO ATA. ISOLATED PROB AND REPLACED INTERMITTENT FAULT IN EGT COMPENSATION RESISTOR ON ENG. THIS PARTICULAR PROB, HAD IT OCCURRED AT TKOF DURING ROTATION, WOULD HAVE CREATED DIRECTIONAL CTL DIFFICULTY. THE ENG COMPUTER SENSES OVERTEMP AND REDUCES PWR ON THE ENG THROUGH THE AUTOTORQUE AND TEMP LIMITING FUNCTION. THE NEGATIVE TORQUE SENSING SYS WILL NOT FUNCTION WITH 300 LBS TORQUE AND THE ENG IS PRODUCING MORE DRAG THAN THRUST AND WILL NOT AUTOFEATHER. THIS SIT CAN BE ISOLATED BY SWITCHING OFF THE AUTOTORQUE AND TEMP LIMITING FUNCTION TO THE ENG COMPUTER. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: ACFT WAS A CESSNA CE441 WITH GARRETT 331 ENGS. THE NEGATIVE TORQUE SENSING COMPUTER MUST BE USED FOR TKOF. IN THIS CASE, THE PWR WAS REDUCED TO 300 LBS OF TORQUE AND THE COMPUTER WILL NOT AUTOFEATHER AT THIS LOW TORQUE. PROP REMAINED IN FLAT PITCH, HIGH DRAG CONDITION. THIS IS A BAD SIT IF THIS OCCURRED ON TKOF. THE RPTR DID CONTACT THE FAA TO FILE A RPT ON THIS CONDITION.

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.