Service difficulty report · Combust Chamber · Boeing 777222

Difficulty date
May 9, 2008
Submitted
May 22, 2008
Operation
Air carrier
Aircraft
N204UA
Make and model
Boeing 777222
Aircraft serial
28713
Aircraft time
41,769 hours, 6,111 cycles
Engine
Pwa PW4090
Engine time
26,729 hours, 3,887 cycles
Part
Combust Chamber
Condition
Damaged
Location
Nr 1 Engine
Stage of operation
IN
How discovered
V
Nature of condition
W
Precautionary procedure
O

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

What was found

NR 1 ENGINE COMBUSTION CHAMBER DAMAGE BEYOND LIMITS. FOUND COMBUSTION CHAMBER CLAMP PROTRUDING INTO THE GASPATH. ENGINE REPLACED PRIOR TO FURTHER FLIGHT. TEARDOWN REVEALED THAT THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER CLAMP (C/C CLAMP) HAD BROKEN AT THE 3 O'CLOCK POSITION. ROOT CAUSE WAS THAT THE INNER BURNER LINER HAD NOT BEEN INSTALLED PROPERLY. CONSEQUENTLY, A 12-INCH SECTION OF THE CLAMP WAS NOT FULLY SEATED IN THE OUTER BURNER LINER. THIS RESULTED IN COOLING AIR LEAKING FROM THE O.D. OF THE COMBUSTOR. THIS CAUSED EXCESSIVE CLAMP RUB AND SUBSEQUENT BREAKAGE.