Turbine engine failure last Tuesday - still not sure I made the right call

I was working a PT6A on a King Air 200 out of Prescott when I found a hot start indicator on the logs from 3 months ago. The previous mechanic signed it off as normal but I wasn't so sure. I pulled the engine for a full hot section inspection and found minor damage on the first stage turbine blades. My boss thinks I was too cautious, but the old timer next to me says better safe than sorry. How far do you guys go on something like this - replace a whole engine over a potential issue or let it ride if it passes a borescope check?

2 comments

2 Comments

emmajackson7d ago

Why risk a fire in the air over saving a few bucks...?

terry17d ago

Oh man, that brings back a memory. My buddy once tried to save twenty bucks on a cheap aftermarket charger for his phone and it actually started smoking while he was driving home from work. He was lucky he noticed the smell before anything caught fire. And @emmajackson, I get the whole penny-pinching thing but some corners just aren't worth cutting when you're talking about fire and lithium batteries in a closed metal tube going 500 miles an hour. It's like saving a few bucks on brake pads for your car, you're just asking for trouble down the road.