Dash 8-300
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Workload; Training / Qualification; Time Pressure; Distraction
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew Landed As Precaution; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft
We were flying a filed alternate routing due to extensive convective activity along our normal routing. While deviating left of course for weather; the First Officer brought to my attention that the Number One Engine Fuel Shutoff Valve circuit breaker had popped. Looking at the Fire Protection Panel I noticed the Fuel Valve Open Light had extinguished. The First Officer continued Pilot Flying (PF) duties and I immediately placed a call via SATCOM to the Dispatcher and Maintenance Control. It was decided not attempt a reset of the breaker and divert the flight to a nearby airport. The remainder of the flight was uneventful and the passengers were deplaned at the gate. Maintenance met the aircraft at the gate; reset the popped circuit breaker; and found the shutoff valve to be continually cycling open and closed. Dispatch advised that a terminating light 15-20 minutes out and we should expect to swap into that aircraft to complete our flight. We re-dispatched on the alternate aircraft and completed the flight uneventfully.
A DHC-8-300's left engine fuel shutoff valve light was discovered extinguished in flight so the Captain diverted to a nearby airport where the valve was found to be constantly cycling.