Aborted Takeoff at MCO

[RobertGerace]

OK...ya know...they ring you out at SimCom and the whole time you're looking forward to a flight that just goes normally. Yeah, right.

I'm writing this to ask if anyone has a clue what is happening here.

The right engine was a little hard to start...about 25 hours after I landed in Orlando on Tuesday afternoon. I shrugged and did a hot-start procedure, and it started right up.

During my runup, I heard what sounded like a seatbelt outside the door...pop...pop...pop.pop....but I tugged on the right seat seatbelt and it was fully inside.

I assumed at that point that it was the right engine back-firing.

Mag check was normal...engine temps on the JPI were normal...fuel flow was a little low...but it always has been...and people have convinced me to give up on trying to get the two engines to agree perfectly.

After all the drills at SimCom...I convinced myself that I was just experiencing auto-rough...I did a full power runup and it everything was fine.

I lined up on 36L and when cleared, slowly firewalled the throttles. I had full power, and when I got to Vr I made one last scan of the instruments, and the right fuel flow needle was at 2:00 (should be at 7:00).

Spring loaded from a thousand of these over the last 24 hours, I pulled back the throttles and reported the abort.

I did another runup on the taxiway, and the right fuel flow was stuck at 2...then POP! It slammed down to about 6:00. Then the engine was rough....

I taxied back to Signature...no maintenance anywhere on the field...5pm...even the 'call in' mechanics had gone home.

So, I called my mechanic on his cell, and he talked me through a full power runup. All was fine.

I took off, flew 2+ hours home...and landed without event...except that when I turned the right fuel pump from low to off ( I have the SB ) I lost almost a gallon per hour on the Hoskins...I turned it back on and left it on.

This morning, (the day after the above happened) I had to go to Charlotte. Everything was fine. No trouble at all.

On the takeoff back...I could swear that during the braked-throttle up before takeoff that the fuel meter for the right engine lagged...then popped...as the engine was a little rough...then fine.

I ran it all the way up with brakes...and no trouble at all. So I flew it home.

When I landed I called my mechanic and asked him to check it out...I have no clue if he will find anything.

Are these the symptoms of the mechanical fuel pump about to fail? Do they fail all at once, or slowly? Any ideas?

Thanks!

P.S. This is the SAME engine that has all of a sudden started to die on the landing roll if I don't bump the mixture and throttle forward during the roll.... sigh...

 

[bbchien]

P.S. This is the SAME engine that has all of a sudden started to die on the landing roll if I don't bump the mixture and throttle forward during the roll.... sigh...

Take a Cirrus on your next flight, you've got a fuel leak or an induction leak....i think (not a mech). Both are BAAaaaaD esp with turbos.

 

[PoAdeleted5]

deleted.

 

[gismo]

Sounds more like air getting into the fuel line prior to the engine driven pump. Fuel is probably leaking out the same hole when the boost pump is on, could be a fire hazard.

 

[wsuffa]

Take a Cirrus on your next flight, you've got a fuel leak or an induction leak....i think (not a mech). Both are BAAaaaaD esp with turbos.

I'd also look at the turbo system & check for blockages in the fuel system. I've had similar issues on hot/hard climb running both the electric and engine driven pumps but vapor developed in the lines (either due to heat or partially blocked venting on the tanks).

Agree with Bruce.

Turbo driver.

 

[Henning]

The right engine was a little hard to start...about 25 hours after I landed in Orlando on Tuesday afternoon. I shrugged and did a hot-start procedure, and it started right up.

During my runup, I heard what sounded like a seatbelt outside the door...pop...pop...pop.pop....but I tugged on the right seat seatbelt and it was fully inside.

I assumed at that point that it was the right engine back-firing.

Mag check was normal...engine temps on the JPI were normal...fuel flow was a little low...but it always has been...and people have convinced me to give up on trying to get the two engines to agree perfectly.

Checked for contamination in the fuel system? Nozzles and spider clean? Any blockages in the return? That's where I would look first.
Next I would be looking for an induction leak somewhere. I wouldn't be flying this engine anymore as if it is, it can lunch an engine by burning out a piston, or at least a jug by lunching a valve. Kinda expensive. Run the engine at a rough, higher idle with the cowling off and spray some starting fluid around on the induction system, when it smooths out, you're spraying it near the leak.
After that, I'd be looking at the mags. If everything looks good, try to borrow a set of different mags. None of the bench tests show a weak coil in the mag.