A piper PA23-250 was released for service in non compliance with an engine driven fuel pump incorrectly installed. Engine not run after installation.

Home

Browse by month

Random

Latest

About

Contact

Attributes
ACN	581341
Time
Date	200305
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-23-250 Aztec
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground : maintenance
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	maintenance : technician
Qualification	technician : inspection authority technician : airframe technician : powerplant
Experience	maintenance technician : 6
ASRS Report	581341
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : fuel pressure indication other other : person 2
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : lighting contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : installation performance deficiency : repair performance deficiency : testing
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

The engine driven fuel pump on a piper aztec was found to be leaking oil from the overflow tube after shutdown. The pilot also complained about low fuel pressure during flight. This led us to believe that the diaphragm was broken. We replaced the fuel pump with a new unit. During the installation the pump rod inside the engine slipped down below the fuel pump arm and wasn't noticed. The pump was incorrectly mounted and wasn't noticed as it was being torqued and safetied. The hangar doors are difficult to open and close so the aircraft wasn't test run at that time and the pilot was notified to come and run the engine. 4 days later the pilot test ran the engine to find no fuel pressure without the electric fuel pump and a large oil leak. The pump was removed, the rod and pump inspected and reinstalled. No further problems were encountered. As with all engine repairs, the engine should always be test run before releasing it for flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PIPER PA23-250 WAS RELEASED FOR SVC IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH AN ENG DRIVEN FUEL PUMP INCORRECTLY INSTALLED. ENG NOT RUN AFTER INSTALLATION.

Narrative: THE ENG DRIVEN FUEL PUMP ON A PIPER AZTEC WAS FOUND TO BE LEAKING OIL FROM THE OVERFLOW TUBE AFTER SHUTDOWN. THE PLT ALSO COMPLAINED ABOUT LOW FUEL PRESSURE DURING FLT. THIS LED US TO BELIEVE THAT THE DIAPHRAGM WAS BROKEN. WE REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP WITH A NEW UNIT. DURING THE INSTALLATION THE PUMP ROD INSIDE THE ENG SLIPPED DOWN BELOW THE FUEL PUMP ARM AND WASN'T NOTICED. THE PUMP WAS INCORRECTLY MOUNTED AND WASN'T NOTICED AS IT WAS BEING TORQUED AND SAFETIED. THE HANGAR DOORS ARE DIFFICULT TO OPEN AND CLOSE SO THE ACFT WASN'T TEST RUN AT THAT TIME AND THE PLT WAS NOTIFIED TO COME AND RUN THE ENG. 4 DAYS LATER THE PLT TEST RAN THE ENG TO FIND NO FUEL PRESSURE WITHOUT THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP AND A LARGE OIL LEAK. THE PUMP WAS REMOVED, THE ROD AND PUMP INSPECTED AND REINSTALLED. NO FURTHER PROBS WERE ENCOUNTERED. AS WITH ALL ENG REPAIRS, THE ENG SHOULD ALWAYS BE TEST RUN BEFORE RELEASING IT FOR FLT.

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.