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Hawker Sea Fury T Mk.20 G-INVN Air Accident Investigation Branch report


Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies

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The AAIB report into crash of Pratt & Whitney R2800-powered Hawker Sea Fury G-INVN on 4th August 2020 as a result of engine seizure shortly after takeoff has been published:

 

117108474_10220035736057369_577575375108

 

AAIB Report Link Here

 

Quote

Synopsis

During the aircraft’s second flight following maintenance, its engine oil temperature rose and the oil pressure started to fluctuate. The engine then seized, forcing the pilot to make a landing in a field. The aircraft was extensively damaged and both occupants suffered serious injuries. Examination of the engine revealed extensive internal damage which resulted from the failure of a main engine bearing. The cause of the bearing failure could not be identified but the investigation determined that contamination of the oil system was the most likely cause.

 

The bearing in question is the master connecting rod bearing on the crankpin for the rear row of cylinders.

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6 hours ago, Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies said:

contamination of the oil system was the most likely cause.

Now the question why the oil was contaminated!

Was it due to metal parts  I assume from a failing component or due to some wrong maintenance procedure?

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21 hours ago, exdraken said:

Now the question why the oil was contaminated!

Was it due to metal parts  I assume from a failing component or due to some wrong maintenance procedure?

It's been long known that post  maintenance flights are often the riskiest. Certainly true in this case. 

 

That's a  good question. They discuss several possibilities. The  engine only had 86 hours since overhaul. So something may have been failing since then. Maybe it was gradual enough not to effect the engine for those 86 hours but the enforced idleness concentrated the build up and it was dislodged during the first flight and found its way to the bearing. It's clear from the report that even as they took off for the second flight smoke was evident. So they were in trouble right from the start.

 

They may never discover the actual cause though. I do agree with the AAIB that a chip detector would indicated a problem after the  first  flight. 

 

Good airmanship from the pilot though. He was unfortunate in that his  attempt to reduce the overspeeding rpm resulted in a full seizure of the engine. But they were already going nowhere but down.

 

You could say they were lucky but as a successful sportsman once said when someone called him lucky. 'Yes I am and the more I  train the luckier I  get.

 

That's definitely true of the pilot. I  know from my own experience that in an emergency the training kicks in first. You can panic when you're safely on the ground.

 

Pity about the  loss of the Sea Fury though.

 

 

Edited by noelh
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chip detector would indicated a problem

Chip detectors are only as good as the sampling rate/inspection time and the EFDC department/agency. That sampling rate  might have been 100hours post installation runs. Post install oil sampling might have spotted something sooner.   

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