G-UMMI PA31-310C Marl (Nr Dortmund) to Humberside
The day started with a 0600 departure to Marl to collect a computer disc for Everts Balloons Gmbh who owned the aircraft and for whom I was Chief Pilot.
The outbound flight was routine and uneventful and I landed at Marl and dropped off ‘The Boss’. By 1530 I was departing back to Humberside and everything was fine until approx 40nm east of Clacton when I noticed the right engine oil temp was higher than normal and the oil pressure was slightly lower. It was my habit to Chinagraph the ‘normal’ engine indications making it easier to notice any change.
I reduced power slightly and checked my DME Distance to Clacton, the oil temp was approaching the red line and I made the decision to shut down the engine to save it from catastrophic failure. The sun was setting and I decided I would divert. Ipswich was an option but with limited facilities, so I decided on Cambridge and told London Information the situation. I was now running one engine with reduced speed and diverting to Cambridge.
The aircraft was lightly loaded and quite easy to fly on one engine with the rudder trim taking all of the load easily. I even managed to select crossfeed as I crossed the coast to keep the fuel balanced.
Cambridge gave me radar vectors to final on runway 23 and the landing was uneventful. Taxying the aircraft was a little more difficult(!).
Alan Milne was at that time Chief Engineer and he came and had a look at the engine and could not see any ‘leaks’ he did however put 7 litres of oil in and suggested I may have an ‘internal’ issue. Subsequently the engine which had 1,700hrs recorded time was replaced.
I continued to fly the aircraft for many hours including a trip around the Greek Islands and it never caused me any further concern.
I still put chinagraph marks on the gauges of these older aircraft! It was only the third time in 6,000hrs that I had had an issue requiring shut down or immediate diversion in a ‘Light’ aircraft and to date with 10,000hrs logged, all in GA aircraft, it remains only one of four engine issues in my career.
This incident reinforced my confidence in the PA31. It was a fine aircraft and albeit in good conditions with a light payload it brought me home safely without requiring any demanding piloting skills.
