SDR 2016F00180

Service difficulty report · Starter · Boeing 747400

Difficulty date
September 1, 2016
Submitted
September 6, 2016
Operation
Air carrier
Aircraft
N903AR
Make and model
Boeing 747400
Aircraft serial
33096
Aircraft time
53,931 hours, 7,439 cycles
Part
Starter
Part number
C511611
Part serial
1738
Condition
Damaged
Location
Apu
Stage of operation
TX
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
K, A, J
Precautionary procedure
F

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

What was found

AIRCRAFT WAS BEING PREPARED FOR DEPARTURE. APU WAS STARTED AND APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES LATER, THE APU FIRE INDICATION ACTIVATED AND THE FLIGHT CREW PULLED THE APU FIRE T-HANDLE. THE APU FIRE BOTTLE HAD ALREADY AUTOMATICALLY ACTIVATED. UPON INSPECTION OF THE APU AND ITS AREA WAS FOUND THAT THE STARTER HAD BROKEN LOOSE AT ITS MOUNTING AT THE APU. IT APPEARED THAT AS A RESULT OF THE STARTER'S MOVEMENT UPON BREAKING LOOSE, IT DAMAGED A FUEL LINE, WHICH CAUSED A FUEL LEAK, WHICH IN TURN CAUSED THE FIRE. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM. AS A RESULT OF THE FIRE, THE RT INBD ELEVATOR WAS DAMAGED, AS WELL AS BOTH OF THE APU LOWER ACCESS DOORS. THE APU DOORS WERE R & R, AS WAS THE RT INBD ELEVATOR. THE APU WAS DEACTIVATED AND DEFERRED, AND WILL BE R & R UPON THE AIRPLANE'S ARRIVAL. TROUBLESHOOTING IS CURRENTLY IN PROGRESS TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE STARTER FAILURE.

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