Service difficulty report · Heater · Boeing 767322

Difficulty date
November 2, 2000
Submitted
November 21, 2000
Operation
Air carrier
Aircraft
N668UA
Make and model
Boeing 767322
Aircraft serial
30024
Aircraft time
5,531 hours, 1,955 cycles
Engine
Pwa PW4052
Part
Heater
Part number
1A081015712
Part serial
1351
Condition
Overheated
Location
Lavatory
Part time
81,992 hours
Stage of operation
AP
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
M, B
Precautionary procedure
O

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

What was found

RIGHT MAINT GEAR GREEN LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE FOR LANDING. AIRCRAFT COMPLETED FLYBY TO VERIFY GEAR DOWN. AMBER ALERT DECLARED. UNEVENTFUL LANDING. *S/D* MAINTENANCE FOUND WATER SYSTEM FILL VALVE IN OPEN POSITION, INHIBITING PRESSURIZATION OF THE WATER SYSTEM. THE LAV WATER HEATER MAY NOT HAVE FILLED UP WITH WATER AFTER SERVICING, ALLOWING TRAPPED AIR TO CAUSE AN OVERHEAT CONDITION IN THE FWD LAV WATER HEATER, AND CONSEQUENTLY TRIPPING THE OVERHEAT BREAKER. WITHOUT WATER IN THE HEATER TO ACT AS A HEAT-SINK, THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A HIGHER TEMP SPIKE IN THE HEATING ELEMENTS BEFORE TRIPPING, WHICH RESULTED IN HEATER DAMAGE AND THE ELECTRICAL ODOR. REPLACED WATER HEATER.