Mystery Solved

[Jeff Franks]

A couple of months ago, I posted in here about seeing a light twin climbing
out of our local airport with only one prop turning. They were ~200ft when
I saw them and they maintained a straight course and barely climbing as I
watched them go out of site. I never knew what was going on (Misguided
training, Actual emergency, what was it???).....until today:

I talked to someone "in the know". Apparently, what I witnessed was the
final effects of a dipstick (a real one, not the pilot) being put back in a
Piper Aztec the wrong way. I know not of what I speak, but from what I was
told, normally the dipstick will only go in one way. Somehow a ME student
got it back in incorrectly. And the engine promptly ate the dipstick at
rotation.

I don't know why they didn't notice anything during the run-up or even after
startup, but needless to say the engine is in the shop.

Just thought I'd post a follow-up for those of you on the edge of your seat
wondering what was going on. Sounds plausible....I guess.

jf

[Corky Scott]

On Thu, 26 Aug 2004 23:32:12 -0500, "Jeff Franks"
> wrote:

>I talked to someone "in the know". Apparently, what I witnessed was the
>final effects of a dipstick (a real one, not the pilot) being put back in a
>Piper Aztec the wrong way. I know not of what I speak, but from what I was
>told, normally the dipstick will only go in one way. Somehow a ME student
>got it back in incorrectly. And the engine promptly ate the dipstick at
>rotation.
>
>I don't know why they didn't notice anything during the run-up or even after
>startup, but needless to say the engine is in the shop.
>
>Just thought I'd post a follow-up for those of you on the edge of your seat
>wondering what was going on. Sounds plausible....I guess.
>
>jf

Man this just does not sound plausible, but I'll admit I don't know
all there is to know about dipsticks.

All the ones I've associated with just end up down in the oil pan no
matter how you insert it. I supposed it might be possible to cross
thread the thing, allowing oil to possibly blow out past it if the
crankcase is also overpressured. But other than that, I can't imagine
how it would be possible to insert a dipstick incorrectly and cause an
engine failure.

If it's that easy to do, you'da thunk the designers would design it so
that couldn't happen.

Corky Scott

[Capt.Doug]

>"Jeff Franks" wrote in message > Sounds plausible....I guess.

Having owned Aztecs, this scenario is not very plausible.

D.

[WIACapt]

>I talked to someone "in the know". Apparently, what I witnessed was the
>final effects of a dipstick (a real one, not the pilot) being put back in a
>Piper Aztec the wrong way.

Having flown Aztecs for several years, I don't think this could be true. The
dipstick is very easy to secure.

[Jeff Franks]

Oh well, I was an easy sucker it seems. Change title to "Mystery ongoing"
and I'll post a follow-up when I talk to someone who really is in the know
:)

thanks for the replies.

jf


"Jeff Franks" > wrote in message
...
> A couple of months ago, I posted in here about seeing a light twin
climbing
> out of our local airport with only one prop turning. They were ~200ft
when
> I saw them and they maintained a straight course and barely climbing as I
> watched them go out of site. I never knew what was going on (Misguided
> training, Actual emergency, what was it???).....until today:
>
> I talked to someone "in the know". Apparently, what I witnessed was the
> final effects of a dipstick (a real one, not the pilot) being put back in
a
> Piper Aztec the wrong way. I know not of what I speak, but from what I
was
> told, normally the dipstick will only go in one way. Somehow a ME
student
> got it back in incorrectly. And the engine promptly ate the dipstick at
> rotation.
>
> I don't know why they didn't notice anything during the run-up or even
after
> startup, but needless to say the engine is in the shop.
>
> Just thought I'd post a follow-up for those of you on the edge of your
seat
> wondering what was going on. Sounds plausible....I guess.
>
> jf
>
>