Service difficulty report · Apu · Boeing 777222

Difficulty date
August 22, 2006
Submitted
August 29, 2006
Operation
Air carrier
Aircraft
N225UA
Make and model
Boeing 777222
Aircraft serial
30554
Aircraft time
17,071 hours, 2,281 cycles
Engine
Pwa PW4090
Engine time
6,761 hours, 12,468 cycles
Part
Apu
Part serial
P1460
Condition
Failed
Location
Apu Bay
Stage of operation
CL
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
B, J
Precautionary procedure
J, A

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

What was found

SMOKE IN CABIN AND EICAS MESSAGE OF SMOKE ON FLT DECK. SMOKE DETECTORS WENT OFF IN CABIN. DECLARED EMERGENCY. INITIAL INVESTIGATION SHOWS THAT THE APU SUFFERED VIBRATORY DISTRESS. THE COMPRESSOR HOUSING HAS A CRACK APPROXIMATELY 100 DEGREE LONG STARTING AT THE PLENUM ANTI-ROTATION TAB. FOUND LOWER INLET SCREEN HAS DISINTEGRATED. THE C1 SHOWS LIGHT FOD (FROM SCREEN). OIL FOUND IN BLEED DISCHARGE PIPES. T3 LOOKS FINE, THIS WOULD TEND TO ELIMINATE A T1 BLADE FAILURE AS THE CAUSE OF THE VIBRATIONS. APU DISASSY SHOWED NO AXIAL BEARING DISTRESS, HOWEVER THRUST WASHER SHIFT CAUSED SEAL FLR. SUSPECT INLET SCREEN FOD AS ROOT CAUSE.