Narrative:

The problem arose when oil leaked from engine through the oil filter adapter plate. The oil ran onto the exhaust pipe catching fire. Once the engine was shut down, the fire went out. No major damage to airframe or engine. Some contributing factors are: problem started back in june of this yr with an oil leak at said adapter. After removing old plate, proceeded to research and change oil ring on plate. The lead mechanic helped in finding the new style o-ring, I went to glue the new o-ring onto the plate and had a problem finding the right glue. At this point, the lead mechanic found a new kit and handed it to me to install. I asked if it was the right one and was told yes. No more information was given to me about the service bulletin or airworthiness directive or the problem that occurred in the past with this part and o-ring. I installed the plate and torqued it and the filler to maintenance manual specifications. Either training was a problem, or there was a lack of proper training from the lead mechanic on this matter. Had all information been given, I believe there would be no problem. Further corrective actions would be: training for all personnel in all airworthiness directives, service bulletins that could cause any minor or major problem to the aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA31 PLT HAD AN ENG FIRE BECAUSE OF AN OIL LEAK. AN ENG PART WAS INCORRECTLY INSTALLED BY THE ACR MECH.

Narrative: THE PROB AROSE WHEN OIL LEAKED FROM ENG THROUGH THE OIL FILTER ADAPTER PLATE. THE OIL RAN ONTO THE EXHAUST PIPE CATCHING FIRE. ONCE THE ENG WAS SHUT DOWN, THE FIRE WENT OUT. NO MAJOR DAMAGE TO AIRFRAME OR ENG. SOME CONTRIBUTING FACTORS ARE: PROB STARTED BACK IN JUNE OF THIS YR WITH AN OIL LEAK AT SAID ADAPTER. AFTER REMOVING OLD PLATE, PROCEEDED TO RESEARCH AND CHANGE OIL RING ON PLATE. THE LEAD MECH HELPED IN FINDING THE NEW STYLE O-RING, I WENT TO GLUE THE NEW O-RING ONTO THE PLATE AND HAD A PROB FINDING THE RIGHT GLUE. AT THIS POINT, THE LEAD MECH FOUND A NEW KIT AND HANDED IT TO ME TO INSTALL. I ASKED IF IT WAS THE RIGHT ONE AND WAS TOLD YES. NO MORE INFO WAS GIVEN TO ME ABOUT THE SVC BULLETIN OR AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE OR THE PROB THAT OCCURRED IN THE PAST WITH THIS PART AND O-RING. I INSTALLED THE PLATE AND TORQUED IT AND THE FILLER TO MAINT MANUAL SPECS. EITHER TRAINING WAS A PROB, OR THERE WAS A LACK OF PROPER TRAINING FROM THE LEAD MECH ON THIS MATTER. HAD ALL INFO BEEN GIVEN, I BELIEVE THERE WOULD BE NO PROB. FURTHER CORRECTIVE ACTIONS WOULD BE: TRAINING FOR ALL PERSONNEL IN ALL AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES, SVC BULLETINS THAT COULD CAUSE ANY MINOR OR MAJOR PROB TO THE 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.