Service difficulty report · Contactor · Piper PA34220T

Difficulty date
October 12, 2012
Submitted
October 22, 2012
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N77FT
Make and model
Piper PA34220T
Aircraft serial
3449018
Aircraft time
1,801 hours
Part
Contactor
Part number
455211
Condition
Corroded
Location
Master
Part time
98 hours
Stage of operation
TX
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
O
Precautionary procedure
O

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

What was found

AFTER ACFT WAS EXPOSED TO HEAVY RAIN. BATTERY WENT DEAD. GPU START NORMAL AND FLIGHT NORMAL. AT SHUTDOWN TURNING MASTER SWITCH OFF, DID NOT TURN POWER OFF. FOUND MASTER CONTACTOR FULL OF CORROSION. DUE TO ITS LOCATION IT IS POSSIBLE IF TIED DOWN IN A TAIL LOW CONDITION, WATER MAY ACCULIMATE BY THE CONTACTOR AS THERE ARE NO AFT DRAIN HOLES IN THAT LOCATION, THE CONTACTOR IS MOUNTED WITH ONLY .2500" CLEARANCE TO THE LOWER SKIN. THE CONTACTOR IS ONLY SEALED ON ITS LOWER HALF. ONCE WATER GETS IN, IT IS TRAPPED INSIDE THE CONTACTOR.

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