DH8 experiences an autofeather condition, in-flight engine shutdown, after rotation from runway at p...

Attributes
ACN	378764
Time
Date	199708
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phl
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 400 agl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : phl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Dash 8-100
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 7800 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	378764
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 24000 flight time type : 160
ASRS Report	378291
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	faa : assigned or threatened penalties faa : investigated Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

On takeoff we lost power on the #2 engine, shortly after rotation. Flight crew completed emergency procedures and returned to the airport, landing uneventfully. The PNF (captain) noticed a problem with the #2 engine torque gauge during takeoff roll and decided to continue, making only normal takeoff callouts. The takeoff continued and the engine lost power. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that the torque gauge is an integral part of the autofeathering system on the DH8. If there is a fault within the torque gauge and some other parameters are met, the aircraft will experience an uncommanded autofeather of that associated engine. The engine on the DH8 feathers on torque sensing, unlike some other types which feather on oil pressure sensing. The captain had noted a gauge fluctuation at the gate but after a power alteration the gauge appeared to be normal. Neither pilot knew of this equipment tie-in and it is not published in the pom. The crew was later called in and placed off duty for 45 days for failing to return to the gate after the first faulty indication. Supplemental information from acn 378291: after starting the engines on a dash 8, we got a fluctuation on the right torque gauge. Mistakenly thinking it was a faulty gauge, we took off and got an unscheduled propeller feather at about 40 ft MSL. We shut the engine down, and relanded at phl. Also, after we landed, there was quite a bit of oil out of that engine. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the right engine torque indicator was fluctuating but I thought it was only an indicator problem and started the takeoff. The reporter said the company policy is any fluctuating torque indication must be checked out to prevent malfunction of the propeller autofeather system. The reporter stated the aircraft flew great on single engine operation. The reporter states no details were available from maintenance on the component that failed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DH8 EXPERIENCES AN AUTOFEATHER CONDITION, INFLT ENG SHUTDOWN, AFTER ROTATION FROM RWY AT PHL. PIC, PNF, NOTED TORQUE GAUGE PROB PRIOR TO EVENT AND ELECTED TO HAVE FO CONTINUE TKOF.

Narrative: ON TKOF WE LOST PWR ON THE #2 ENG, SHORTLY AFTER ROTATION. FLC COMPLETED EMER PROCS AND RETURNED TO THE ARPT, LNDG UNEVENTFULLY. THE PNF (CAPT) NOTICED A PROB WITH THE #2 ENG TORQUE GAUGE DURING TKOF ROLL AND DECIDED TO CONTINUE, MAKING ONLY NORMAL TKOF CALLOUTS. THE TKOF CONTINUED AND THE ENG LOST PWR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE TORQUE GAUGE IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE AUTOFEATHERING SYS ON THE DH8. IF THERE IS A FAULT WITHIN THE TORQUE GAUGE AND SOME OTHER PARAMETERS ARE MET, THE ACFT WILL EXPERIENCE AN UNCOMMANDED AUTOFEATHER OF THAT ASSOCIATED ENG. THE ENG ON THE DH8 FEATHERS ON TORQUE SENSING, UNLIKE SOME OTHER TYPES WHICH FEATHER ON OIL PRESSURE SENSING. THE CAPT HAD NOTED A GAUGE FLUCTUATION AT THE GATE BUT AFTER A PWR ALTERATION THE GAUGE APPEARED TO BE NORMAL. NEITHER PLT KNEW OF THIS EQUIP TIE-IN AND IT IS NOT PUBLISHED IN THE POM. THE CREW WAS LATER CALLED IN AND PLACED OFF DUTY FOR 45 DAYS FOR FAILING TO RETURN TO THE GATE AFTER THE FIRST FAULTY INDICATION. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 378291: AFTER STARTING THE ENGS ON A DASH 8, WE GOT A FLUCTUATION ON THE R TORQUE GAUGE. MISTAKENLY THINKING IT WAS A FAULTY GAUGE, WE TOOK OFF AND GOT AN UNSCHEDULED PROP FEATHER AT ABOUT 40 FT MSL. WE SHUT THE ENG DOWN, AND RELANDED AT PHL. ALSO, AFTER WE LANDED, THERE WAS QUITE A BIT OF OIL OUT OF THAT ENG. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE R ENG TORQUE INDICATOR WAS FLUCTUATING BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS ONLY AN INDICATOR PROB AND STARTED THE TKOF. THE RPTR SAID THE COMPANY POLICY IS ANY FLUCTUATING TORQUE INDICATION MUST BE CHKED OUT TO PREVENT MALFUNCTION OF THE PROP AUTOFEATHER SYS. THE RPTR STATED THE ACFT FLEW GREAT ON SINGLE ENG OP. THE RPTR STATES NO DETAILS WERE AVAILABLE FROM MAINT ON THE COMPONENT THAT FAILED.

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.

DH8 experiences an autofeather condition, in-flight engine shutdown, after rotation from runway at phl. PIC, PNF, noted torque gauge problem prior to event and elected to have first officer continue takeoff.