Service difficulty report · Switch · Snias AS350B3

Difficulty date
March 31, 2017
Submitted
August 4, 2017
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N164TF
Make and model
Snias AS350B3
Aircraft serial
4773
Part
Switch
Part number
045004A137A
Part serial
121107
Condition
Burned
Location
Strobe
Stage of operation
NR
How discovered
9
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

STROBE SWITCH HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE DUE TO THE SAME DEFECT. PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED ON ANOTHER ACFT OF LIKE MODEL AND DESIGN. THE MAIN CURRENT CARRYING SOLDER JOINTS, 2 ON THE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD PART OF THE SWITCH ASSEMBLY ARE OVERHEATING. IN ONE CASE THE CIRCUIT BOARD WAS DAMAGED CAUSING THE STROBE LIGHTS TO REMAIN ON IN ANY SWITCH POSITION. IN THE PRIOR CASE THE SOLDER FROM THESE 2 JOINTS RAN DOWN TO THE CIRCUIT BOARD, THE SWITCH ASSEMBLY PLUGS INTO AND SHORTED THE SWITCH CIRCUIT BOARD OUT, CAUSING THE STROBE LIGHTS TO BECOME INOPERABLE. I FEEL THE SWITCH USED FOR THIS OPERATION CANNOT HANDLE THE ELECTRICAL LOAD IMPOSED UPON IT, CAUSING THE EXCESSIVE HEAT AND SUBSEQUENT DAMAGE AND LOSS OF STROBE CIRCUIT CONTROL.