2011-03 · NASA ASRS report 936038
A Line Mechanic reports the #1 engine of a four piston engine commercial fixed wing aircraft was shut-down in-flight due to being uncontrollable after a bolt had fallen out an idle control pushrod to the carburetor. The aircraft had just come out of a C-Check and post C-Check engine runs.
Shortly after the aircraft left it had to shut down #1 engine in-flight due to being uncontrollable. Upon arrival at destination; it was found that a bolt had come out of the idle control pushrod. I had worked on the #1 engine at various times three days earlier from late afternoon [Day X] until the early morning hours the following day [Day Y]. Earlier in the day; on Day X; a post-check run had determined that the idle RPM of #1 engine was too high. There were several adjustments made to the Idle RPM throughout the night and several engine runs to determine if the problem had been corrected. I believe that factors contributing to the shutdown of #1 engine during flight can be attributed to many things. These factors include but are not limited to: Fatigue: it was my fifth night after already working over 40-hours the first four days of my week.Weather: the temperature was around -10F throughout the night; this also has an effect on the fatigue factor. Lighting: we have to work with headlamps at night; it is not the ideal lighting situation. Time crunch: the plane was fresh out of a heavy check and we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to get as much done as possible so the plane can fly and make money. Inexperience: I was receiving training on the engine; as I only have a few weeks experience working on these engines.
Reporter stated the aircraft had recently come out of a C-Check and they were doing post C-Check engine runs and noticed the idle RPM on #1 engine was too high. The bolt had fallen out of the idle control pushrod where the rod attaches to the clevis fitting on the carburetor throttle arm. Downline Maintenance reinstalled the idle control pushrod and bolt.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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