X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Received: from hub026-nj-1.exch026.serverdata.net ([206.225.166.164] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 5.4.6) with ESMTPS id 5636336 for flyrotary@lancaironline.net; Tue, 03 Jul 2012 08:54:56 -0400 Received-SPF: none receiver=logan.com; client-ip=206.225.166.164; envelope-from=jwhaley@datacast.com Received: from MBX026-E1-NJ-6.exch026.domain.local ([10.240.14.56]) by HUB026-NJ-1.exch026.domain.local ([10.240.14.30]) with mapi id 14.02.0309.002; Tue, 3 Jul 2012 05:54:19 -0700 From: Jeff Whaley To: 'Rotary motors in aircraft' Subject: Post-Accident Investigation Thread-Topic: Post-Accident Investigation Thread-Index: Ac1ZGvWFiFn04mczTAyJHlRE+ghSMw== Date: Tue, 3 Jul 2012 12:54:19 +0000 Message-ID: <234B758DE9A64449BEB6BB5D1345CA7AF5640F@mbx026-e1-nj-6.exch026.domain.local> Accept-Language: en-CA, en-US Content-Language: en-US X-MS-Has-Attach: X-MS-TNEF-Correlator: x-originating-ip: [209.87.232.162] Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="_000_234B758DE9A64449BEB6BB5D1345CA7AF5640Fmbx026e1nj6exch02_" MIME-Version: 1.0 --_000_234B758DE9A64449BEB6BB5D1345CA7AF5640Fmbx026e1nj6exch02_ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable My conclusion to the cause of engine failure was fuel-starvation, caused by= the hot oil blast temporarily killing the only working fuel pump. Background: I had reconfigured my fuel pumps from Tee'd in/out horizontal to fuel manif= old-in/parallel-out vertical ... this arrangement probably caused one pump = to be fuel-starved. I now know what was wrong with the new configuration. = I tested the pumps yesterday and indeed one was dead. There were no fuel = leaks period. When I toggled the working fuel pump in-flight 2 times, the = oil-out hose blew off the engine connector. Engine quit and prop stopped w= ithin about 2 minutes. I now suspect that the exhausted 80 psi oil either = temporarily shorted out the working pumps' electrics or the hot oil bath ca= used a in-flight shut-down of the pump, or possibly even vapor-lock. My oi= l temperature was 150-160F at the time; therefore, the outlet temperature w= ould have been 180-190F. Any comments on what happens when EFI pumps get blasted with hot oil? It's a hard pill to swallow that I made a mistake with my fuel pumps. I kn= ew it and was headed home to rectify the situation ... didn't quite make it= ... the secondary failure of the oil line coming off was totally unexpecte= d and really ruined my day. The engine and re-drive both turn over just fine and the engine has same co= mpression as before. Not sure what the internals will look like; have aske= d Tracy for his input on the re-drive; expect engine will likely need all b= earings replaced, most other parts are likely okay. Jeff This message, and the documents attached hereto, is intended only for the a= ddressee and may contain privileged or confidential information. Any unauth= orized disclosure is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message= in error, please notify us immediately so that we may correct our internal= records. Please then delete the original message. Thank you. --_000_234B758DE9A64449BEB6BB5D1345CA7AF5640Fmbx026e1nj6exch02_ Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

My conclusion to the cause of engine failure was fue= l-starvation, caused by the hot oil blast temporarily killing the only work= ing fuel pump.

Background:

I had reconfigured my fuel pumps from Tee’d in= /out horizontal to fuel manifold-in/parallel-out vertical … this arra= ngement probably caused one pump to be fuel-starved.  I now know what = was wrong with the new configuration.  I tested the pumps yesterday and indeed one was dead.  There were no fuel leaks pe= riod.  When I toggled the working fuel pump in-flight 2 times, the oil= -out hose blew off the engine connector.  Engine quit and prop stopped= within about 2 minutes.  I now suspect that the exhausted 80 psi oil either temporarily shorted out the working pumps̵= 7; electrics or the hot oil bath caused a in-flight shut-down of the pump, = or possibly even vapor-lock.  My oil temperature was 150-160F at the t= ime; therefore, the outlet temperature would have been 180-190F.

Any comments on what happens when EFI pumps get blas= ted with hot oil?

 

It’s a hard pill to swallow that I made a mist= ake with my fuel pumps.  I knew it and was headed home to rectify the = situation … didn’t quite make it … the secondary failure = of the oil line coming off was totally unexpected and really ruined my day.

The engine and re-drive both turn over just fine and= the engine has same compression as before.  Not sure what the interna= ls will look like; have asked Tracy for his input on the re-drive; expect e= ngine will likely need all bearings replaced, most other parts are likely okay.

Jeff

 

This message, and the documents attached hereto, is intended only for the a= ddressee and may contain privileged or confidential information. Any unauth= orized disclosure is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message= in error, please notify us immediately so that we may correct our internal records. Please then delete the origin= al message. Thank you. --_000_234B758DE9A64449BEB6BB5D1345CA7AF5640Fmbx026e1nj6exch02_--