Service difficulty report · Nozzle

Difficulty date
November 21, 2002
Submitted
November 26, 2002
Operation
General aviation
Engine
Allsn 250C30S
Part
Nozzle
Part number
23055438
Part serial
X53105
Condition
Failed
Location
Engine
Stage of operation
IN
How discovered
V
Nature of condition
O
Precautionary procedure
K

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

What was found

ENGINE FAILED WHILE AC WAS ON GROUND. UPON DISASSEMBLY OF ENGINE, FOUND GAS PRODUCER ROTOR TIE BOLT BROKEN IN HALF. FURTHER EXAMINATION FOUND THAT NR 2 NOZZLE, WHICH HAD BEEN OVERHAULED 1751 HOURS PRIOR, WAS MISSING 3 OF 5 KEYS THAT HOLD DIAPHRAGM IN PLACE. INSPECTION OF WELDS ON THE 2 REMAINING KEYS FOUND THAT THEY WERE NOT WELDED ON 3 SIDES, AS IS REQUIRED. THE WELDS APPEARED TO LACK PENETRATION. THE AREAS WHERE THE MISSING 3 KEYS WERE ATTACHED ALSO HAD EVIDENCE OF WELDS THAT DID NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS. IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE FAILURE OF THE WELDS AND THE SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF THE KEYS AND SHIFTING OF THE DIAPHRAGM RESULTED IN CONTACT OF THE DIAPHRAGM WITH THE ROTOR AND EVENTUALLY FAILURE OF TIE BOLT.