First failure due to bent exhaust valve pushrod/valve. Shut down the engine due to vibration. The second failure due to a broken over-torqued through-bolt; shut down the engine due to vibration. Third, a partial failure due to suspected fuel manifold fault. The partial failure was (loss of 50% power – fluctuating fuel) in some ways the most difficult to deal with as it was on take-off and the engine continued to give some power. I did not shut down the engine as no vibration or temp/oil pressure problems. Very difficult to troubleshoot even with a digital engine monitor as it did not happen on the ground! GTSIO520.
This survey, technically speaking, is anecdotal, not exactly statistical. I’ve just started reading “Mike Busch on Engines”. Based on what I’ve read so far, 10 out of 49 chapters, it appears that most engine failures are due to poor operating procedures, often unintentional, and/or due to less than diligent application of known good practice. Nonetheless, this survey is, to say the least, eye opening, especially for someone considering the purchase of used aircraft.
(Single engine jet aircraft) Engine went on strike at 200 feet AGL; aircraft and I parted company shortly after, each of us returning to earth separated in time and distance… (;>0)
Nine in 59 years and 30,000 hours.
Four of them were IO-470s (including one on a Cessna 210–and the VERY NEXT FLIGHT in a Baron to pick up the prop for flushing–back to back!) All of the 470s were after cylinder work–for 3 to 100 hours later.
One was on a Franklin-powered Bellanca–broken crankshaft.
On was on my Cessna 120–broken throttle cable–got only 1600 rpm.
If you think that turbines never quit, I had a 731 on a Falcon jet throw a fan blade–25 hours after a factory overhaul. I had a FACTORY LOANER on a Citation–it quit on the climb at 15,000–started a return to the airport, it relit–climbed again–every time we passed 15,000, it quit. We got a different engine. Third one–PT-6 on a Caravan on amphibs–coming back to South America (El Calafate) from Antarctica–engine suddenly overtorqued–fuel topping governor shut it down–secondary throttle didn’t work–established a glide–engine started coming back to life–overtorqued–and shut down. Went through 5 of those before I was within range of the airport–shut it down, and deadsticked. Fuel pump had disintegrated, affecting the fuel controller.
First failure due to bent exhaust valve pushrod/valve. Shut down the engine due to vibration. The second failure due to a broken over-torqued through-bolt; shut down the engine due to vibration. Third, a partial failure due to suspected fuel manifold fault. The partial failure was (loss of 50% power – fluctuating fuel) in some ways the most difficult to deal with as it was on take-off and the engine continued to give some power. I did not shut down the engine as no vibration or temp/oil pressure problems. Very difficult to troubleshoot even with a digital engine monitor as it did not happen on the ground! GTSIO520.
This survey, technically speaking, is anecdotal, not exactly statistical. I’ve just started reading “Mike Busch on Engines”. Based on what I’ve read so far, 10 out of 49 chapters, it appears that most engine failures are due to poor operating procedures, often unintentional, and/or due to less than diligent application of known good practice. Nonetheless, this survey is, to say the least, eye opening, especially for someone considering the purchase of used aircraft.
(Single engine jet aircraft) Engine went on strike at 200 feet AGL; aircraft and I parted company shortly after, each of us returning to earth separated in time and distance… (;>0)
Nine in 59 years and 30,000 hours.
Four of them were IO-470s (including one on a Cessna 210–and the VERY NEXT FLIGHT in a Baron to pick up the prop for flushing–back to back!) All of the 470s were after cylinder work–for 3 to 100 hours later.
One was on a Franklin-powered Bellanca–broken crankshaft.
On was on my Cessna 120–broken throttle cable–got only 1600 rpm.
If you think that turbines never quit, I had a 731 on a Falcon jet throw a fan blade–25 hours after a factory overhaul. I had a FACTORY LOANER on a Citation–it quit on the climb at 15,000–started a return to the airport, it relit–climbed again–every time we passed 15,000, it quit. We got a different engine. Third one–PT-6 on a Caravan on amphibs–coming back to South America (El Calafate) from Antarctica–engine suddenly overtorqued–fuel topping governor shut it down–secondary throttle didn’t work–established a glide–engine started coming back to life–overtorqued–and shut down. Went through 5 of those before I was within range of the airport–shut it down, and deadsticked. Fuel pump had disintegrated, affecting the fuel controller.
The GOOD NEWS–every one ended up on an airport!