EASA SIB CASA-2018-05
Pratt & Whitney Canada Pt6b-37a Engines with Fuel Control Units Overhauled after December 2016
Summary
The Transport Canada Civil Aviation Safety Alert CASA 2018-05 addresses a quality issue affecting Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6B-37A engines with fuel control units overhauled after December 2016. Some fuel control units may not have been calibrated to specification, potentially causing N1 fluctuations, hung starts, and inability to recover power during autorotation training. This alert is intended for owners, operators, and maintainers of the affected engines.
What Changed
This new safety alert highlights a quality escape during overhaul of certain PT6B-37A fuel control units performed after December 2016. It introduces awareness of the issue and references Pratt & Whitney Canada's Service Information Letter PT6B-045, which provides detailed guidance on addressing the problem.
Why It Matters
The issue can lead to engine performance problems such as unstable N1 speeds and failure to recover power, which are critical safety concerns during flight training and operations. Operators and maintenance personnel must be aware of this to prevent potential in-flight engine issues and ensure continued airworthiness and safety compliance.
What To Do
Operators of Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6B-37A engines with fuel control units overhauled after December 2016 should review and follow the recommendations in Pratt & Whitney Canada's Service Information Letter PT6B-045. For further information or assistance, stakeholders should contact Transport Canada Civil Aviation or Dean Ciaschini in Continuing Airworthiness. No specific compliance deadline is stated.