CA.IX.C. Systems and Equipment Malfunctions

Question 1

You’re flying in the practice area, and the engine starts running rough. What are you going to do?

Answer 1

• Fly the airplane!
• Memory items:
  FUEL: Adjust mixture, fuel pump on, adjust throttle.
  MAGNETOS: Cycle them
• RUN THE CHECKLIST
• If engine roughness persists, start heading towards an airport.
• Notify ATC for priority handling, and be ready to declare an emergency

Question 2

What are some possible causes of engine roughness?

Answer 2

• Mixture too lean/rich
• Detonation/Pre-ignition
• Fouled spark plugs
• Magneto malfunction
• Fuel pump failure (engine)
• Fuel contamination or starvation
• Excessive fuel vapor
• Low Oil Pressure, or Oil Leak

Question 3

You notice a sudden reduction in FFLOW GPH immediately before a loss of power. You have fuel in the tanks. What’s the issue, and what do you do?

Answer 3

Engine driven pump failure.
Turn on the AUX FUEL PUMP.
Run the appropriate checklist and land as soon as practical.

Question 4

LOW OIL PRESSURE illuminates. Your oil pressure gauge is slightly in the red band, oil temp is elevated and rising. What is the major concern here, and what would you do?

Answer 4

Oil Leak – could lead to engine failure.
Reduce power to cool the engine, start looking for a place to land potentially off airport. Run the checklist, and declare an emergency.

Question 5

You’re climbing out of Phoenix in the summer, and oil temperature gauge indicates high but within the green. What should you do?

Answer 5

Try to cool the engine.
Pitch lower to increase airspeed and airflow over the engine.
Richen the mixture, and reduce throttle if you can.
If engine doesn’t cool, return to land.

Question 6

The induction air filter becomes blocked with ice. What will you expect to happen?

Answer 6

Alternate Air Induction will automatically open and allow air into the engine. Expect a 10% approximate power loss.

Question 7

Practicing maneuvers, you notice a LOW FUEL L annunciator message. What does this mean?

Answer 7

Fuel quantity in the Left tank is less than 5 gallons, and has remained this way for more than 60 seconds.

Question 8

What does a LOW VOLTS annunciator indicate?

Answer 8

System voltage is below 24.5 volts. Alternator is not supplying sufficient power, and the battery is being drained.

Question 9

How long would an 8 amp hour battery support an electrical system running at 16amps before dying?

Answer 9

30 minutes on a fully charged new battery.

Realistically, half that so 15 minutes.

Question 10

After an alternator failure, you’re aircraft is operating on the STANDBY BAT. How will this affect your approach to landing?

Answer 10

Can’t extend the flaps, so brief and prepare for a NO FLAPS landing.

Question 11

What is the quickest/easiest way to determine which equipment will work while operating off the STBY BAT?

Answer 11

Look at the circuit breakers, and what is on the essential bus.

Question 12

What does a HIGH VOLTS indication mean, and what should you do?

Answer 12

Overvoltage, automatic alternator shutdown has failed.
Turn off alternator, reduce electrical load, land as soon as practical.

Question 13

When the ALT FIELD circuit breaker pops, what is happening?

Answer 13

Overvoltage situation, ACU takes the alternator offline.
LOW VOLTS indication, since electrical system is now running off the battery.

Question 14

What would trigger a LOW VACUUM annunciation?

Answer 14

Suction from the engine driven vacuum pump drops below 3.5in HG
Only applies to standby attitude indicator

Question 15

Flying in the clouds while descending to land, OAT is approx 0 degrees C. You notice airspeed increasing as you descend, even though you haven increased power or rate of descent. What is going on here?

Answer 15

Likely ice blocking the static port.

• ALT STATIC ON
• Use Checklist
  Refer to airspeed calibration chart

Question 16

Flying in the clouds while descending to land, OAT is approx 0 degrees C. You notice airspeed is dropping.
What is going on here?

Answer 16

Pitot tube likely frozen.

-PITOT HEAT ON
- ALT STATIC ON
- Get out of clouds and run icing checklist.

Question 17

The Air Data Computer (ADC) has failed. Which instruments will be affected?

Answer 17

Airspeed Indicator
Altimeter
VSI
TAS
OAT
(Expect Red X)
Mode C/ADSB OUT

Question 18

Can you still shoot approaches with an ADC failure?

Answer 18

Technically yes, using standby instruments.
Course, heading, CDI will still be accurate.

Question 19

The AHRS has failed. Which instruments will be affected?

Answer 19

Attitude Indicator
Heading Indicator
Rate of Turn indicator
Slip/Skid
Course needle (but CDI will still deflect properly)

Question 20

Can you still shoot approaches with an AHRS failure?

Answer 20

Technically yes. CDI will deflect properly. Heading and course info can come from DTK and TRK fields, as well as GPS derived compass on the MFD.

Question 21

Describe the procedure for landing with a flat tire.

Answer 21

Follow procedure in the POH
- Touch down with the good tire(s) first
- Use flaps to touch down at slowest speed.

Question 22

After touchdown, you attempt to brake but the brakes feel mushy and the plane isn’t slowing. What can you do?

Answer 22

• PUMP the breaks, to build pressure in the hydraulic lines.
• If insufficient room to stop: cut off fuel, air, spark and try best to avoid obstacles.

Question 23

While cranking, the starter during engine start, smoke and flames start rising out of the engine compartment. What are you going to do?

Answer 23

Continue cranking.
If the engine starts, throttle up to 1800 RPM for a few minutes, then shut the engine down and inspect for damage.
If the engine doesn’t start, go full throttle, cut the mixture, keep cranking.
Follow the rest of the checklist to cut fuel air and spark secure the engine and grab the fire extinguisher.

Question 24

I’m flying in in the practice area, the engine catches fire. What do you do?

Answer 24

Fly the airplane. Immediately cut off fuel, air, spark. (Mixture cutoff, fuel shutoff, master off, cabin air/heat off.

*try to declare an emergency before shutting off master

Increase airspeed to extinguish fire, and execute a forced landing.

Question 25

Flying along, you see a whitish color smoke in the cabin along with what smells like burning insulation. What will you do?

Answer 25

Electrical fire.
Make an emergency call if able.
Turn off all electricity - STBY BAT and MASTER OFF.
Close vents and cabin heat and use fire extinguisher as necessary.
Refer to checklist, and land ASAP

Question 26

How would you address a wing fire?

Answer 26

Turn off all lights/electricity on the wing:
- Nav/Strobe/Ldg/Taxi
- pitot heat

Perform an emergency descent, sideslip away from burning wing (up!)