Service difficulty report · Fitting · Piper PA60601P

Difficulty date
July 29, 2010
Submitted
August 8, 2010
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N54AL
Make and model
Piper PA60601P
Aircraft serial
61P0326092
Engine
Lyc TIO540*
Part
Fitting
Condition
Corroded
Location
Zone 100
Stage of operation
CR
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
O
Precautionary procedure
B

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

What was found

OWNER STATED HE WAS CRUISING AT ALTITUDE, TAKING ON ICE, ACTIVATED THE DE-ICE BOOT FUNCTION AND THE ICE WAS NOT REMOVED FROM THE ACFT. AFTER MULTIPLE TRIES HE WAS FORCED TO MAKE A EMERGENCY DECENT TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED AND TO REMOVE THE ICE IN WARMER TEMPS. THE FLIGHT CONTINUED TO THE SCHEDULED DESTINATION. ON A GROUND CHECK OF THE DE-ICE SYS THE BOOTS WERE NOT INFLATING. AFTER TROUBLESHOOTING THE COMPLETE SYS THE DEFECTIVE ITEM WAS FOUND. GAINING ACCESS TO THE DE-ICE COMPONENTS IN THE LT MAIN WHEEL WELL REMOVING THE AFT FUSELAGE ACCESS PANEL AND TRACING THE DE-ICE BOOT INFLATION/DEFLATION HOSES THERE IS A DISTRIBUTION TEE UNDER THE BELLY FUEL TANK AREA. THIS IS THE LOWEST PART IN THE SYS AND WATER/MOISTURE HAD COLLECTED THERE AND CAUSED THE ELBOW FITTING TO CORRODE AND A .2500" BY .5" PIECE OF THE TUBE TO BLOW OUT NOT ALLOWING THE PRESSURE TO INFLATE THE BOOTS OR VACUUM THE DOWN TO THE AIRFRAME FOR PROPER AIRFLOW OVER THE FLIGHT SURFACES. ALL THE FITTINGS WERE REPLACED IN THE TEE AND THE SYS OPERATED PROPERLY ON THE GROUND AND DURING A TEST FLIGHT.

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