Date: 201206
Local time of day: 0601-1200
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Flight conditions: VMC
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: Caravan Undifferentiated
Operator: Air Taxi
Operating under: Part 135
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Cargo / Freight / Delivery
Flight phase: Initial Climb
Airspace: Class D ZZZ
ATC / advisory: Tower ZZZ
Aircraft component: Turbine Engine
Component problem: Improperly Operated
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Single Pilot
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Instructor
Human factors: Human-Machine Interface; Confusion
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Automation Aircraft Other Automation; Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: General Maintenance Action
Contributing factors: Procedure; Human Factors
Primary problem: Human Factors

Narrative: The aircraft's airworthiness status was verified with no open discrepancies so I accepted the aircraft for flight. On climb-out I discovered the status (white) message 'ETM EXCEED'. I referenced the checklist which required a maintenance inspection prior to the next flight. At this time I wasn't sure why the message appeared since I had not observed any exceedance during the start; taxi; takeoff; and climb. The Garmin G1000 integrated flight deck is new to this company. All of our other aircraft of the same type are legacy configured flight decks without this level of electronic messaging capability. I am one of a few pilots at our company checked out in this G1000 aircraft; and like the others who are also checked out; I am discovering things. On return; I notified Maintenance of the status message and the Technician attempted to download the data; but was unable due to a dead battery in the notebook computer. I was feeling the pressure (self inflicted) of the flight schedule; and knowing/feeling the lower level of concern that a Status message carries compared to the higher level caution (yellow) message 'ETM EXCEED'; I made the decision to depart on the next round trip flight. On return; the Maintenance Technician successfully downloaded the data and it was discover that the aircraft had experienced an over-torque the day before when flown by another pilot. Based on the data; a maintenance technician inspected the engine in accordance with the Engine Maintenance Manual and found it airworthy. The exceedance was at the very bottom of the envelope based on the slight excessive torque setting and short duration. In hind sight it is easy to see what I did wrong. On my first flight; I should have returned to the airport and had the aircraft inspected based on the ETM EXCEED message. Something was wrong and for me to assume it was minor or a non-issue was wrong. In discussing this with the other pilot who had flown the aircraft when the torque exceedance occurred I found that he had known that he had experience an over torque. This should have been taken care of at that time. We are learning that flying an aircraft with this level of electronic sophistication requires increased and different levels of awareness and action. In all our other legacy aircraft of this type we will never know about exceedances unless the pilots are reporting them. At this company we are fortunate that the culture is open to the discussion of errors without blame and we are continually discussing issues and focusing on correction and adaptation.




Synopsis: C208 pilot reports discovering a Status message (G1000 equipped) for ETM EXCEED during climbout and elects to inform Maintenance upon return. Maintenance is unable to download the fault information and another round trip is flown while the notebook battery charges. Upon return it is discovered that the Status message indicates an over torque the day prior requiring an engine inspection.