PA-23-250 Aztec
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Private; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 35; Flight Crew Total 710; Flight Crew Type 150
Time Pressure; Confusion
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Maintenance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Diverted; General Declared Emergency; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft; Procedure
Inflight Left Engine Anomaly/Power Surge noted. Declared Emergency and got clearance for visual approach and Landing at a nearby airport. Landed without incident. Fuel Pump Diaphragm found to be lacerated by screw that was over tightened causing failure of engine driven fuel pump causing engine power loss. Review of logbooks does not indicate prior adjustment of fuel pump; engine was overhauled approximately 150 hours prior to failure.
Aircraft departed in VFR conditions on an IFR flight plan. After level off at 9;000 FT; the left propeller would not maintain selected RPM. Pilot flying and I attempted to trouble shoot the problem. We could not stabilize left propeller RPM. Pilot flying declared emergency and landed at the nearest suitable airport. After exiting the active runway; the left engine stopped running. The problem was a faulty fuel pump.
A PA-27 engine lost power inflight. An emergency was declared; and the pilot landed at a nearby airport where the fuel pump diaphragm was found to have been damaged by an overtightened screw.