What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Narrative: aircraft departed albuquerque international airport for Farmington, NM (fmn) on a title 14 CFR part 135 flight. The pilot filed an IFR flight plan and was on approach for fmn airport when the electrical system failed. Pilot discontinued the approach and climbed until VFR conditions existed. The pilot elected to return to albuquerque where VMC prevailed. The pilot utilized the emergency gear extension provisions and landed without incident. Investigation revealed the bolt failed on the alternator adjusting bracket where it attaches to the engine. This allowed the alternator to move until the electrical terminal on the alternator contacted a ground causing a direct short. This ultimately caused the terminal to burn into and the loss of electrical power to the main buss. 3. Maintenance personnel determined the failed bolt to be a non-standard bolt. A review of the aircraft records were inconclusive regarding as to when or by whom the bolt was installed. 4. The installation of an unapproved bolt is a violation of the far's. however in this case the evidence available does not substantiate enforcement action. Malfunction or defect report submitted.
As the FAA filed it
NARRATIVE: AIRCRAFT DEPARTED ALBUQUERQUE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT FOR FARMINGTON, NM (FMN) ON A TITLE 14 CFR PART 135 FLIGHT. THE PILOT FILED AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN AND WAS ON APPROACH FOR FMN AIRPORT WHEN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED. PILOT DISCONTINUED THE APPROACH AND CLIMBED UNTIL VFR CONDITIONS EXISTED. THE PILOT ELECTED TO RETURN TO ALBUQUERQUE WHERE VMC PREVAILED. THE PILOT UTILIZED THE EMERGENCY GEAR EXTENSION PROVISIONS AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE BOLT FAILED ON THE ALTERNATOR ADJUSTING BRACKET WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE ENGINE. THIS ALLOWED THE ALTERNATOR TO MOVE UNTIL THE ELECTRICAL TERMINAL ON THE ALTERNATOR CONTACTED A GROUND CAUSING A DIRECT SHORT. THIS ULTIMATELY CAUSED THE TERMINAL TO BURN INTO AND THE LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER TO THE MAIN BUSS. 3. MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL DETERMINED THE FAILED BOLT TO BE A NON-STANDARD BOLT. A REVIEW OF THE AIRCRAFT RECORDS WERE INCONCLUSIVE REGARDING AS TO WHEN OR BY WHOM THE BOLT WAS INSTALLED. 4. THE INSTALLATION OF AN UNAPPROVED BOLT IS A VIOLATION OF THE FAR'S. HOWEVER IN THIS CASE THE EVIDENCE AVAILABLE DOES NOT SUBSTANTIATE ENFORCEMENT ACTION. MALFUNCTION OR DEFECT REPORT SUBMITTED.
Other reports on N6687B · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.