Service difficulty report · Wire · Beech C90

Difficulty date
April 1, 2014
Submitted
April 1, 2014
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N48AZ
Make and model
Beech C90
Aircraft serial
LJ859
Aircraft time
4,650 hours, 4,650 cycles
Part
Wire
Condition
Overheated
Stage of operation
CL
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, CABIN WENT TO MAXIMUM DIFERENTIAL PRESSURE DURING CLIMBOUT AND REMAINED AT MAXIMUM DIFERENTIAL THROUGHOUT THE FLIGHT. CABIN HAD TO BE MANUALLY DUMPED FOR DESCENT/LANDING. FOUND PLASTIC TUBING IN PEDESTAL, FROM CONTROLLER TO OUTFLOW VALVE, HAD MELTED THRU, RENDERING CONTROLLER INEFFICTIVE. THE TUBING HAD BEEN IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO A BUSS FEED WIRE WHICH HAD OVERHEATED AND MELTED THE TUBING. THE CAUSE OF THE OVERHEATING WAS TRACED TO A BUTT SPLICE IN THE WIRE A FEW INCHES FROM ITS TERMINATING POINT AT A DIODE MOUNTED ON A HEAT SINK. IT IS SUSPECTED THE SPLICE WAS NOT FULLY CRIMPED RESULTING IN A HIGH RESISTANCE WHICH OVERHEATED THE SHORT WIRE RUN TO THE DIODE. THE ENTIRE WIRE, FROM THE CIRCUIT BREAKER TO THE DIODE WAS REPLACED. THE CIRCUT BREAKER WAS REPLACED, AS PRECAUTION, AS WELL AS THE DIODE, SHOWED SIGNS OF HEAT DISTRESS. THE TUBING WAS REPAIRED AND ROUTED AWAY FROM THE WIRING. SYSTEMS CHECKS WERE GOOD. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT SPLICES, IF NECESSARY TO INSTALL, BE CRIMPED WITH THE PROPER TOOLS AND CHECKED FOR PROPER INSTALLATION.

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