Complacency

It was a beautiful July afternoon in Illinois. I was flying a Piper Arrow at 8500 feet msl, with no worries in the world. Weather was CAVU, and the outside-air temperature about 70 degrees F at this altitude. Yet, I noticed the engine’s rpm would not stay where I set it. Airspeed also decreased accordingly. In response and mildly annoyed, I kept pushing up the power. It didn’t help. I also tried tightening the throttle quadrant’s friction lock, but that didn’t help, either.Meanwhile, I was safe, still flying, and able stay at altitude and airspeed with throttle control. Then, the “Red Flag” popped up, and the lightbulb in my brain came on! Induction blockage! Mr. Piper’s Arrow is powered by a fuel-injected Lycoming engine. We’ve all been told one of the advantages of fuel injection is eliminating the possibility of carburetor ice. But just because an airframe/engine combination doesn’t have a carburetor doesn’t mean it can’t suffer an induction-system blockage.

Key Takeaways:

• A pilot experienced an unexpected induction blockage in a fuel-injected Piper Arrow, causing a decrease in engine RPM and airspeed despite increasing throttle.
• Although fuel-injected engines lack carburetor ice risk, they can still suffer induction blockages, with an alternate air system designed to bypass them.
• The aircraft's automatic alternate air system failed to activate, requiring the pilot to manually engage it to restore full engine power.
• The experience emphasizes the critical need to recognize "Red Flags" immediately and possess a thorough understanding of aircraft systems to resolve in-flight anomalies.

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