Service difficulty report · Nut · Agusta AW139

Difficulty date
October 26, 2016
Submitted
November 2, 2016
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N41CP
Make and model
Agusta AW139
Aircraft serial
41251
Aircraft time
1,931 hours, 3,634 cycles
Part
Nut
Part number
3G6220A02251
Part serial
962
Condition
Seized
Location
Main Rotor Head
Stage of operation
IN
How discovered
O
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

DURING REMOVAL OF MAIN ROTOR HEAD, THE MAIN ROTOR HEAD RETAINING BOLTS WERE SEIZING IN THE MAST NUT (TYPICAL OCCURRENCE DURING REMOVAL THAT THE 12 BOLTS WILL NOT THREAD OUT EASILY FROM THE MAST NUT). A NEW MAST NUT AND 12 NEW BOLTS WAS ORDERED. DURING INSTALLATION OF THE NEW NUT AND 12 NEW BOLTS, AT THE END OF THE TORQUE SEQUENCE, THE CONICAL RING WAS FLUSH AGAINST THE HUB (NOT ALLOWED PER THE MM). DURING REMOVAL OF THE BRAND NEW 12 BOLTS AND MAST NUT, 4 BOLTS WERE SEIZED IN MAST NUT. THIS HAS BEEN A TYPICAL OCCURRENCE DURING INSTALLATION/REMOVAL OF THE MAST NUT AND 12 BOLTS. IT SEEMS THERE MAY BE A DIFFERENCE IN MANUFACTURING OF THE MAST NUTS NOW WHERE THE CADMIUM PLATING GOES ALL THE WAY DOWN THROUGH THE THREADS IN THE MAST NUT FOR THE 12 BOLTS. IT FEELS AS THOUGH SOME OF THAT MATERIAL WHEN UNDER STRESS LOOSENS AND CREATES THE SEIZING OF THE BOLTS EITHER RESULTING IN A FALSE TORQUE DURING INSTALLATION OR SEIZURE OF THE BOLT DURING REMOVAL.

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