243 – A Stranded Piper Saratoga

Airplane Owner Maintenance - By Dean Showalter

This airplane appeared on the ramp not long ago at the Shenandoah Valley Airport in Virginia.

I discovered it had taken off, and then very quickly made a 180 and returned for landing due to engine trouble.

The pilot thought he may have lost a cylinder.

His mechanic stopped by to check it out, and there was nothing blaringly wrong with the cylinder or the engine.

Finally, after meticulously checking the engine and doing a runup, he found the fuel injector for the problem cylinder was clogged (or at least partially clogged.)

We put it in the ultrasonic cleaner for just 5 minutes, blew it out, and it was perfect.

He put it back together and all was well… they flew it out of there not long after that.

This particular A&P/IA’s name is Dusty Foster, and he seemed very knowledgeable and exceptionally competent. He runs a GA maintenance shop at New River Valley Airport (KPSK) in Southwest Virginia, Foster Avaition & Mobile Maintenance.

And he also travels quite a bit for prebuy evaluations and other maintenance. Here’s his website if you’d like to check it out… he seems like an all-around great guy, family man, excellent communicator, and pilot-mechanic.

https://www.fosteraviationmm.com

Dusty, it was a pleasure to meet you and speak with you. Well done getting that Saratoga issue figured out!

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