Service difficulty report · Compressor · Snias AS350B3

Difficulty date
November 16, 2010
Submitted
December 3, 2010
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N3951A
Make and model
Snias AS350B3
Aircraft serial
4993
Engine
Tmeca ARRIEL2B1
Part
Compressor
Part number
5900081
Part serial
1117712980
Condition
Seized
Location
A/C Pack
Part time
18 hours
Stage of operation
NR
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
J
Precautionary procedure
O

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

What was found

PILOT REPORTED, DURING NORMAL FLIGHT, AIR COND SYS BEGAN TO BLOW WARM AIR FOLLOWED BY HYD SYS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATION. DUAL HYD SYS ALLOWED PILOT TO PERFORM PRECAUTIONARY LANDING WITHOUT INCIDENT. POST FLIGHT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT BOTH THE A/C COMPRESSOR DRIVE BELT AND THE ADJACENT HYD PUMP DRIVE BELTS WERE SHREDDED. A/C COMPRESSOR APPEARS TO HAVE SEIZED CAUSING FAILURE OF DRIVE BELT WITH DEBRIS FROM BELT INDUCING FAILURE OF ADJACENT HYD DRIVE BELT. ALSO OF NOTE, WAS THAT A/C SYS REFRIGERANT RECOVERY WAS APPROX 65 PERCENT OF RATED CAPACITY. NO A/C SYS LEAKS WERE DETECTED. THE A/C SYS IS INSTALLED UNDER STC SH3509SW.