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Thank you for your contribution, Professor Murphy, we've heard all we need from you for the remainder of the evening, if you please . . .
Cool story. I wonder why the right engine never gave you issues before if it was a mixture issue. Murphy?
The way the Continental fuel systems are structured, the auxiliary fuel pumps, when turned on, will increase fuel flow to the engine. At higher power settings, the engine is capable of handling richer mixtures while still running. In this case, the story reads that he pulled back to decrease speed for landing, and the engine quit. That would tell me that the engine was running too rich.
Of course, figuring that out when you've got two dead engines and are low to the ground isn't exactly an easy task for anyone...
Exactly I was reading the story thinking "lean the mixture!" when the second engine died and didn't respond to full rich, boost pumps, etc.
BUT,
I was sitting in a nice comfy office with a cup of coffee, not in a airplane that had just become a brick!
I would be interested in the forensics in that.Looking at the old turbocharger, A&P figured it was within a couple minutes of welding itself together.
I've had the turbo fail in flight a couple times in a C-206 but the engine itself didn't fail. It produced a lot less power than normal, however. Maybe a different engine setup.I came close to having the tubocharger in my Turbo Arrow fail in flight. It didn't fail, but it was making horrible grinding noises towards the end of the flight. I was real glad I had studied the procedure for a restart after a turbo failure - pull the prop to minimum RPM, mixture to idle cutoff and slowly increase the mixture until the engine starts.
Looking at the old turbocharger, A&P figured it was within a couple minutes of welding itself together.
I would be interested in the forensics in that.
I've had the turbo fail in flight a couple times in a C-206 but the engine itself didn't fail. It produced a lot less power than normal, however. Maybe a different engine setup.
I've also had an engine failure in a twin at about 20,000' for no reason which could be found. I don't remember what I did with the mixture but I think I got it restarted by turning on the high boost pump. Speculation was that something had plugged either a line or a vent and when I turned on the boost it created enough pressure or suction to dislodge it. That's what the mechanics thought, anyway. Coincidentally it was the same shop mentioned in the OP's story. Small world.
I had read someplace, can't remember where, maybe on the Piper Owner Society board that the turbochargers on the TCM TSIO 360 engine typically last about half of the engine life. Which, was about where the turbo failed. The bearings were pretty chewed up and carbonized. Don't know what the root cause of failure was.
I had read someplace, can't remember where, maybe on the Piper Owner Society board that the turbochargers on the TCM TSIO 360 engine typically last about half of the engine life. Which, was about where the turbo failed. The bearings were pretty chewed up and carbonized. Don't know what the root cause of failure was.
Yes, my concern would be that the engine would produce a lot less power than normal, particularly given that the turbo is required to produce full rated power at sea level on the TSIO 360 in the first place. Not likely a big issue at low altitude, but it could be a big issue at high altitude in terrain.