A C210 right engine fuel boost pump transitioned to high causing the engine to run rough with black ...

Attributes
ACN	987145
Time
Date	201107
Local Time Of Day	0001-0600
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZZ.Airport
State Reference	FO
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Cessna 210 Centurion / Turbo Centurion 210C 210D
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Initial Climb
Flight Plan	IFR
Component
Aircraft Component	Fuel Booster Pump
Person 1
Function	Single Pilot
Qualification	Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 60 Flight Crew Total 8900 Flight Crew Type 200
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical Deviation - Altitude Overshoot Deviation - Procedural Clearance

Narrative:

During my takeoff immediately after liftoff while the landing gear was in transition; the right engine began losing power and running very rough. It took me a minute to discover that the right engine fuel flow was essentially pegged. About that time the tower called and asked if we were going to be ok as they saw a trail of very heavy black smoke that appeared to be coming from the right engine. I tried using the mixture but that did not work and finally thought to turn off the fuel pump. As soon as the fuel pump was off the right engine was normal. I determined that the electric fuel pump had somehow switched itself to high mode and flooded the engine. The altitude deviation occurred while I was trouble shooting the fuel pump issue and testing the fuel pump in different modes during the climb. I was cleared to 5;000 ft and while I was working with the fuel pump I received a call asking me to descend back to 5;000 ft. When I looked at the altimeter I realized that I was climbing through 5;300 ft at that time and immediately descended back to 5;000 ft. The real cause of the problem was I had ignored the airplane while trying to trouble shoot a non-critical systems issue. This problem could have easily waited until I was leveled off. After this issue; I went back to my normal procedure of focusing totally on flying the airplane anytime I am within 1;000 ft of an assigned altitude.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C210 right engine fuel boost pump transitioned to HIGH causing the engine to run rough with black smoke which distracted the pilot so that he overshot his assigned altitude. ATC called about the smoke and the altitude deviation.

Narrative: During my takeoff immediately after liftoff while the landing gear was in transition; the right engine began losing power and running very rough. It took me a minute to discover that the right engine fuel flow was essentially pegged. About that time the Tower called and asked if we were going to be OK as they saw a trail of very heavy black smoke that appeared to be coming from the right engine. I tried using the mixture but that did not work and finally thought to turn off the fuel pump. As soon as the fuel pump was OFF the right engine was normal. I determined that the electric fuel pump had somehow switched itself to high mode and flooded the engine. The altitude deviation occurred while I was trouble shooting the fuel pump issue and testing the fuel pump in different modes during the climb. I was cleared to 5;000 FT and while I was working with the fuel pump I received a call asking me to descend back to 5;000 FT. When I looked at the altimeter I realized that I was climbing through 5;300 FT at that time and immediately descended back to 5;000 FT. The real cause of the problem was I had ignored the airplane while trying to trouble shoot a non-critical systems issue. This problem could have easily waited until I was leveled off. After this issue; I went back to my normal procedure of focusing totally on flying the airplane anytime I am within 1;000 FT of an assigned altitude.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

A C210 right engine fuel boost pump transitioned to high causing the engine to run rough with black smoke which distracted the pilot so that he overshot his assigned altitude. ATC called about the smoke and the altitude deviation.