Service difficulty report · Fire Bottle · Eclips ECLIPSEEA500

Difficulty date
February 15, 2012
Submitted
February 15, 2012
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N218JT
Make and model
Eclips ECLIPSEEA500
Aircraft serial
000047
Aircraft time
1,098 hours, 1,287 cycles
Part
Fire Bottle
Part number
261231271001
Part serial
0102
Condition
Leaking
Location
Nacelle
Part time
20 hours, 4 cycles
Stage of operation
IN
How discovered
V
Nature of condition
O
Precautionary procedure
K

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

What was found

NEW FIRE BOTTLE DESIGN FROM MFG WAS INSTALLED A MONTH AGO AND WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A NEWLY DESIGNED EXTINGUISHING CARTRIDGE NOT TO LEAK LIKE THE OLDER STYLE BOTTLES. THE BOTTLE WAS FOUND TO HAVE LEAKED OUT INSIDE THE PYLON AREA. THIS CHEMICAL IS EXTREMELY CORROSIVE TO ANY TYPES OF METAL AND BEING SO CLOSE TO PYLON STRUCTURE EXTREME CAUTION MUST BE TAKEN SO PRIMARY STRUCTURE DOES NOT CORRODE. THIS IS A SAFETY OF FLIGHT ITEM AND IF WAS TO DISCHARGE IN FLIGHT UNKNOWN TO THE PILOT, THE PILOT WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PUT AN ENGINE FIRE OUT. THERE WERE NO CAS MESSAGES INDICATING LEAK OF FIRE BOTTLE. BOTTLE WAS FOUND DISCHARGED THROUGH GAUGE AFTER POST FLIGHT INSPECTION.