N401SM

ATA 3160

ACFT LINED UP FOR TAKEOFF. AFTER SETTING POWER AT 43 PSI TORQUE, A STANDARD TAKEOFF OCCURRED. AT APPROXIMATELY 300 FT AGL, THE MASTER CAUTION ILLUMINATED AND SAW THE TORQUE GAUGE SURGING BACK AND FORTH FROM 35-51 PSI, ABOVE MAX LIMITATIONS, WITHOUT ANYONE TOUCHING THE THROTTLE. TRIED ADJUSTING THE THROTTLE LOWER, TO NO AVAIL, DID NOT FEEL THE ENGINE ITSELF SURGE, BUT BEING SO CLOSE TO THE GROUND AND CONCENTRATING ON FLYING, COULD NOT CHECK ALL THE OTHER GAUGES AND DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM PROPERLY. ASKED THE COPILOT, WHO HAD JUST SWITCHED TO DEPARTURE FREQUENCY TO ADVISE WE NEEDED TO REMAIN IN THE PATTERN AND RETURN TO LAND IMMEDIATELY. COPILOT RELAYED THAT TO ATC, WHO ASKED IF WE WERE DECLARING AN EMERGENCY FOR PRIORITY. WE DECLARED AN EMERGENCY, REMAINED LT CLOSED TRAFFIC AND RAN THE APPROPRIATE CHECK LISTS. ONCE THE POWER WAS PULLED BACK TO ABOUT 30 PSI, THE TORQUE SURGING STOPPED. WE MADE AN UNEVENTFUL LANDING ON RUNWAY 15 AND TAXIED IN. NO EMERGENCY SERVICES WERE USED OR EVER SEEN.

ATA 5610

APPROXIMATELY 40 MINUTES INTO FLIGHT WITH 2 PASSENGERS, AT 16,000 FT THE COPILOT SIDE WINDOW OUTER LAYER CRACKED. WE WERE IN IMC CONDITIONS FOR THE ENTIRE FLIGHT WITH SOME RAIN AND LIGHT SNOW. THE CRACKING WAS PRECEEDED BY SOME ELECTRICAL ARCING ON THE CRACKED WINDSHIELD SIDE. THE DECISION WAS MADE TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY AND DIVERT TO THE CLOSEST AIRPORT. DESCENDED AND FLEW THE ILS 6 APPROACH INTO AIRPORT UNEVENTFULLY.

ATA 7700

POWER APPEARED TO BE NORMAL ON TAKEOFF AND THE INITIAL CLIMBOUT. CLIMBING THROUGH ABOUT 16,500 FT, OBSERVED THAT POWER CONTROL LEVER WAS UP AGAINST FORWARD STOP AND WERE BELOW BOTH MAXIMUM ITT AND TORQUE LIMITS. ALL OTHER PARAMETERS SEEMED NORMAL, ELECTED TO CONTINUE CLIMB TO 24,000 FT.