Manfred Jahn DC3 mysterious engine failures

[AviatorMan 253]

Been spending a good deal of time flying this great plane. Usually no issues, but today I was attempting a flight form Aberdeen to Glasgow Scotland, and about halfway through the flight the left engine failed. A few minutes later the right engine failed. I was able to land safely in a field, but was not able to find out what had gone wrong. I restarted the flight, and was more careful about not overstressing the engines, and generally watching the instruments and keeping everything within limits. I made the flight successfully, but after landing at Glasgow as I was taxiing to parking, the left engine suddenly died. The right engine kept working and I was able to taxi off the runway. Again I don't know what went wrong. Anyone have any suggestion?

I fly in P3D but this issue would probably apply to the FSX versions as well..

Thanks for any suggestions.

[spesimen 135]

1. fuel managment - are you sure you didn't run out of fuel? losing one then the other a few minutes later sounds like it could be related to that. are you managing the tanks correctly with burning mains during takeoff then emptying the aux tanks and then switching back to mains? does the gauge show the relevant tanks as having fuel?

2. cowl flaps - set to trail mode during flight? set to open when not flying (this could cause overheating or a fire during taxi perhaps)? did the engine catch on fire or just stop running?

other than outright abusing the engines i'm not sure if there's much else that can cause them to fail besides possibly those items.

it's hard to speculate without seeing more info. maybe if it happens again post some screenshots or something. 

good luck!

cheers,-andy crosby

[1st fltsimguy 466]

Following.

[AviatorMan 253]

Thanks for your replies. I am not sure about fuel management. All four tanks were more than half full at the end of the flight. However, I was not switching the tanks as you suggest.

I tried the flight again, this time paying closer attention to the cowl flaps, and completed the flight without incident. The previous time I made this flight, where I had the engine failure on the left engine after landing: I stupidly had not used the checklist before landing, and I think both cowl flaps were closed. To exit the runway and during additional taxiing, I was using the engines, and perhaps I did more right turning than left and over heated the left engine. Still cannot explain the flight where both engines failed mid-way in the flight, one engine first then the other.

[AviatorMan 253]

On 8/13/2017 at 6:02 PM, spesimen said:

1. fuel managment - are you sure you didn't run out of fuel? losing one then the other a few minutes later sounds like it could be related to that. are you managing the tanks correctly with burning mains during takeoff then emptying the aux tanks and then switching back to mains? does the gauge show the relevant tanks as having fuel?

2. cowl flaps - set to trail mode during flight? set to open when not flying (this could cause overheating or a fire during taxi perhaps)? did the engine catch on fire or just stop running?

other than outright abusing the engines i'm not sure if there's much else that can cause them to fail besides possibly those items.

it's hard to speculate without seeing more info. maybe if it happens again post some screenshots or something. 

good luck!

cheers,-andy crosby

Looks like it was fuel management after all. But at the same time I have learned more about cowl flaps temperature management. Thanks for your suggestions.

I am now having a problem in keeping the engines running when I change fuel tanks in flight. I am aware of the need to have the fuel pumps running before making the change. But each time I have tried it the engines die and though I try to restart them in flight, no success and had to crash land..