Narrative:

We took the airplane on a training flight/test flight (familiarization and functional test) as part of a new avionics installation. The airplane had been released back to service following an annual inspection. After doing some air work we checked the avionics and eventually decided to also check the r-hand propeller operation by feathering the engine. Maintenance had made adjustments to the r-hand propeller governor; following an earlier test flight. This airplane is soon to be exported to europe and it was felt that all issues must be resolved to customer's satisfaction prior to flying over the treacherous north atlantic environment. Amongst other things; a new battery and new starters had been installed. The r-hand starter was activated for about 15 seconds; but not enough cranking was observed. After a 2 min cooling period; a second attempt to start was made. After about another 15-20 seconds of similar cranking; the starter ceased to work. Nashville approach was advised of our situation and a request for a straight-in on runway 20R was made. Our airport of origin has a 3500 ft runway so we opted to overfly it and use an airport with a longer runway and arff capability (bna). The engine was secured according to the checklist and a smooth landing was completed without any further incident. Mechanics were unable to energize the r-hand starter on the ground. A new starter was installed the following day and the airplane was flown back.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DURING A TEST FLT FOLLOWING EXTENSIVE MAINT; FLT CREW IS UNABLE TO RESTART R ENG OF PA31 AFTER A TEST OF THE FEATHERING MECHANISM.

Narrative: WE TOOK THE AIRPLANE ON A TRAINING FLT/TEST FLT (FAMILIARIZATION AND FUNCTIONAL TEST) AS PART OF A NEW AVIONICS INSTALLATION. THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN RELEASED BACK TO SVC FOLLOWING AN ANNUAL INSPECTION. AFTER DOING SOME AIR WORK WE CHKED THE AVIONICS AND EVENTUALLY DECIDED TO ALSO CHK THE R-HAND PROP OP BY FEATHERING THE ENG. MAINT HAD MADE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE R-HAND PROP GOVERNOR; FOLLOWING AN EARLIER TEST FLT. THIS AIRPLANE IS SOON TO BE EXPORTED TO EUROPE AND IT WAS FELT THAT ALL ISSUES MUST BE RESOLVED TO CUSTOMER'S SATISFACTION PRIOR TO FLYING OVER THE TREACHEROUS NORTH ATLANTIC ENVIRONMENT. AMONGST OTHER THINGS; A NEW BATTERY AND NEW STARTERS HAD BEEN INSTALLED. THE R-HAND STARTER WAS ACTIVATED FOR ABOUT 15 SECONDS; BUT NOT ENOUGH CRANKING WAS OBSERVED. AFTER A 2 MIN COOLING PERIOD; A SECOND ATTEMPT TO START WAS MADE. AFTER ABOUT ANOTHER 15-20 SECONDS OF SIMILAR CRANKING; THE STARTER CEASED TO WORK. NASHVILLE APCH WAS ADVISED OF OUR SITUATION AND A REQUEST FOR A STRAIGHT-IN ON RWY 20R WAS MADE. OUR ARPT OF ORIGIN HAS A 3500 FT RWY SO WE OPTED TO OVERFLY IT AND USE AN ARPT WITH A LONGER RWY AND ARFF CAPABILITY (BNA). THE ENG WAS SECURED ACCORDING TO THE CHKLIST AND A SMOOTH LNDG WAS COMPLETED WITHOUT ANY FURTHER INCIDENT. MECHS WERE UNABLE TO ENERGIZE THE R-HAND STARTER ON THE GND. A NEW STARTER WAS INSTALLED THE FOLLOWING DAY AND THE AIRPLANE WAS FLOWN BACK.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.