Service difficulty report · Heater · Beech B300C

Difficulty date
December 4, 2020
Submitted
December 7, 2020
Operation
Air carrier
Aircraft
N350MC
Make and model
Beech B300C
Aircraft serial
FM60
Aircraft time
2,872 hours, 2,671 cycles
Part
Heater
Condition
Failed
Location
Medical Systems
Part time
2,872 hours
Stage of operation
CR
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
B
Precautionary procedure
A

As reported to the FAA. Reports are unverified, and codes are left as the FAA publishes them.

What was found

WHILE DOING A PATIENT FLIGHT AT APPROXIMATELY 16:45 CENTRAL TIME, AIRCRAFT TOTAL TIME OF 2872.2 ONE OF OUR FLIGHT NURSES STARTED MENTIONING HOW OUR MEDICAL BED FELT RATHER WARM. AS I LOOKED BACK INTO THE CABIN I NOTICED A FAINT HAZE. THE FLIGHT NURSE STARTED TO LOOK FOR THE SOURCE AND NOTICED THE TEMPERATURE ON THE IV WARMER WAS READING AROUND 300 DEGREES. AS HE OPENED THE DRAWER TO THE WARMER A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE DRAWER ALONG WITH THE SMELL OF MELTED PLASTIC. WE MADE A DECISION TO DIVERT. WE INFORMED ATC OF OUR INTENTION AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY. ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH OUR DECENT THE FLIGHT NURSE WAS ABLE TO ISOLATE AND UNPLUG THE IV WARMER. WE CONTINUED ON AND A LANDING WAS MADE WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. UPON SHUTDOWN WE VENTILATED THE AIRCRAFT AND HAD LOCAL MAINTENANCE DEFERRED THE IV WARMER ACCORDING TO THE MAYO CLINIC NEF PROGRAM. WE CONTINUED ON TO THE DESINATION WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENTS. IV WARMER HEAT PAD FAILED AND OVERHEATED, SUBSEQUENTLY MELTING MEDICATION FLUID BAG CAUSING SMOKE.

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