Service difficulty report · Fuel Control · Snias AS350B2

Difficulty date
April 4, 2008
Submitted
April 8, 2008
Operation
Air carrier
Aircraft
N350A
Make and model
Snias AS350B2
Aircraft serial
3127
Aircraft time
4,124 hours
Engine
Tmeca ARRIEL1D1
Engine time
3,862 hours, 9,123 cycles
Part
Fuel Control
Part number
0164548720
Part serial
21CA3
Condition
Faulty
Location
Fuel Control
Stage of operation
CL
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
R, J
Precautionary procedure
A

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

What was found

THE PILOT STATES THAT THE AC LIFTED OFF AND BEGAN A CLIMB TO CLEAR OBSTACLES AND UPON REACHING 100 FEET AGL, A DISTINCT CHANGE IN ENGINE SOUND WAS DETECTED ALONG WITH A SLIGHT YAW TO THE RT FROM THE LOSS OF POWER. THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE TO PRESERVE ROTOR RPM AND FORTUNATELY THE RPM STABILIZED AT 365-370 RPM AT A LOWER POWER SETTING. I ELECTED TO SET UP FOR A LOW POWER RUN ON LANDING TO THE PARKING LOT, WE WOULD BE LANDING SHORTLY. AS WE APPROACHED THE GROUND AND AT A SKID HEIGHT OF APPROX. 1-2 FT I APPLIED COLLECTIVE PITCH TO CUSHION THE LANDING, THE ROTOR RPM BEGAN TO BLEED OFF AND THE LOW RPM HORN SOUNDED JUST BEFORE TOUCHDOWN. THE AC TOUCHED DOWN SOFTLY WITH ABOUT A 20 FOOT GROUND SLIDE. THIS WAS AN UNSCHEDULED LANDING THAT WAS THE RESULT OF A FAULTY FUEL CONTROL. THE DEFECTIVE FUEL CONTROL WAS REMOVED AND A SERVICEABLE FUEL CONTROL WAS INSTALLED. GROUND RUN AND FLIGHT CHECKS WERE PERFORMED, NO DEFECTS NOTED. RETURNED AC TO SERVICE.