Service difficulty report · Connector · Cessna 172P

Difficulty date
January 13, 2010
Submitted
January 13, 2010
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N97LP
Make and model
Cessna 172P
Aircraft serial
17274398
Aircraft time
11,051 hours
Part
Connector
Part number
S20641
Condition
Burned
Location
Landing Lights
Stage of operation
IN
How discovered
C
Nature of condition
L
Precautionary procedure
K

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

What was found

LANDING & TAXI LIGHTS INOP ON PRE-FLIGHT. FOUND COWLING CONNECTOR ASSY, COMPRISING PN S1637-3 & -4, PLUS POWER WIRE AND CONNECTOR PINS BURNED AND CONNECTOR MELTED. REPLACED CONNECTOR AND REMOVED BURNED POWER WIRE. OPS CHECK SAT. THIS CONDITION IS CAUSED BY LEAVING LANDING AND TAXI LIGHTS ON IN FLIGHT FOR EXTENDED TIMES AS THE SYS IS NOT CAPABLE OF THIS ELECTRICAL LOAD FOR EXTENDED OPERATION WITH OUT OVERHEATING WIRES, CONNECTORS AND SWITCHES. SEB09-6A ADDRESSED THIS PROBLEM WITH THE LANDING/TAXI LIGHT SWITCHES REQUIRING INITIAL SWITCH REPLACEMENT AND REOCCURRING REPLACEMENT AT 4 YEARS. SWITCH WAS REPLACED PREVIOUSLY DUE TO OVERHEATING. THIS PROBLEM EXISTS WITH THIS MODEL ACFT, 12 AND 24 VOLT SYS, WITH CONTINUOUS OPERATION OF LANDING LIGHT AND OR TAXI LIGHTS. IN A FLIGHT TRAINING OPERATION MORE NUMEROUS TAKEOFF AND LANDINGS ARE CONDUCTED ON A DAILY BASIS CONTRIBUTING TO THIS PROBLEM. A FIRE HAZARD EXISTS IF OVERHEATED COMPONENTS ARE NOT DETECTED.

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