Page 32 - Volume 12 Number 1

Technically...
From Multi-Engine Turboprop Communiqué # ME-TP-006
Date: December 2017
ATA 28 − Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) HQ-18-08
The FAA has released Special Airworthiness Infor- mation Bulletin (SAIB) HQ-18-08, [information shown below], for a fuel contamination on 36 civilian aircraft. Some of the affected aircraft are Textron Aviation turboprops. (Editor’s Note: King Airs included on SAIB are listed below for your convenience/reference.) If your aircraft is called out as one of the affected aircraft, it is Textron Aviation’s recommendation that you inspect the fuel cells for a dry white powdery substance (reference photo shown). Contamination may only be visible in a dry fuel cell. If this substance is found, please contact Turboprop Technical Support at 1 (800) 429-5372 or teamturboprop@txtav.com for further instructions.
FAA’s SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS INFORMATION BULLETIN, #HQ-18-08
Subject: Engine Fuel and Control – Operation with Contaminated Jet Fuel
Date: December 20, 2017
RECENT SERVICE BULLETINS,
ADVISORY DIRECTIVES AND SAFETY
COMMUNICATIONS
of certain airplanes that operated with jet fuel contaminated with diesel exhaust fluid (DEF). This SAIB also requests feedback regarding any service difficulties or operational anomalies of the identified airplanes and recommends that the owners of those airplanes consult with the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of their airplane, engine, and auxiliary power unit (APU) to determine the appropriate inspection and corrective maintenance actions on their airplane.
At this time, the airworthiness concern is not con- sidered an unsafe condition that would warrant air- worthiness directive (AD) action under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR) part 39.
Background
During the period between November 16 and November 21, 2017, 36 airplanes with civilian registry identified [King Airs listed left] along with 17 other airplanes were serviced with jet fuel containing DEF at Eppley Air Field Airport, Omaha, Nebraska (KOMA). The DEF was inadvertently used instead of fuel system icing inhibitor (FSII) on two refueling trucks at KOMA and injected into the fuel with each truck’s FSII injection system. Only those airplanes identified in Appendix 1 received the contaminated fuel.
Date
11/17/17
Registration
N50VP
Model
BE-C90A BE-300 BE-C90 BE-200 BE-200 BE-C90A
S/N
LJ-1185 FA-16 LJ-899 BB-1481 BB-1404 LJ-1593
Fuel Qty (gals)
105 & 108 119 131 330 299 210
King Airs Affected were Fueled by TAC Air (KOMA), Nov. 16-21, 2017:
11/17/17 N846BE
11/18/17 N813JB
11/19/17 N200RS
11/19/17 N793DC
11/20/17 N460EM
This is information only. Recommendations aren’t
mandatory.
Introduction
This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin
(SAIB) advises airplane operators, Fixed Base Operators
(FBOs), FAA repair stations and Flight Standard District
Offices (FSDOs), and foreign civil aviation authorities form crystalline deposits in the fuel system. These
DEF is a urea-based chemical that is not approved for use in jet fuel. When mixed with jet fuel, DEF will react with certain jet fuel chemical components to
30 • KING AIR MAGAZINE
JANUARY 2018