In the tightly cowled engine compartment of an E/A-B aircraft, exhaust systems can do unseen damage over time unless care is taken to protect various components. In this case, the intake tube hose on a Lycoming engine shows severe signs of overheating due to its proximity to the exhaust system. When touched, it was very brittle and started flaking apart. Left unchecked, it will eventually cause an intake leak and the cylinder will run lean.
In Case You Missed it
Error Chain
Mike Newell - 0
First flight surprise! There's a reason you should follow the plans when installing a canopy latch. By Mike Newell.
Combating Carb Ice
Barnaby Wainfan examines a sneaky and sometimes little understood cause of in-flight scares and engine failures: carb ice.