Service difficulty report · Battery Pack · Diamon DA40

Difficulty date
March 7, 2004
Submitted
March 7, 2004
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N338MA
Make and model
Diamon DA40
Aircraft serial
40298
Aircraft time
207 hours
Part
Battery Pack
Part number
D4125609000
Condition
Shorted
Location
Instrument Panel
Part time
207 hours
Stage of operation
IN
How discovered
9
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

EMERGENCY BATTERY PACK SHORTED DUE TO A SET SCREW FALLING THROUGH HOLE IN BOTTOM OF INSTRUMENT PANEL DIRECTLY ABOVE BATTERY PACK TERMINALS. HOLE IS FOR WIRES FROM BATTERY PACK. BATTERY PACK ITSELF HAS A RECESS IN AREA OF THE ELECTRICAL TERMINALS. WHEN SET SCREW FELL THROUGH HOLE, IT LODGED BETWEEN TERMINAL CONNECTIONS IN RECESS, COMPLETELY DRAINING EMERGENCY BATTERY PACK. BATTERIES THEMSELVES REACHED HIGH ENOUGH TEMPERATURE DURING SHORT/DISCHARGE CYCLE THAT INDIVIDUAL BATTERY JACKETS WERE DEFORMED OR ACTUALLY MELTED. SOME OF BATTERY CASES SPLIT, SPILLING CONTENTS. ANYTHING THAT FALLS THROUGH THIS HOLE IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL (INCLUDING WATER) WILL NATURALLY BE TRAPPED IN THE RECESS.

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