SDR 2018F00068

Service difficulty report · Altimeter · Emb EMB120ER

Difficulty date
January 5, 2018
Submitted
January 8, 2018
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N652CT
Make and model
Emb EMB120ER
Aircraft serial
120289
Aircraft time
38,877 hours, 49,764 cycles
Part
Altimeter
Part number
39948E2903
Part serial
1382
Condition
Faulty
Location
First Officer'S
Stage of operation
CL
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
N
Precautionary procedure
A

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

What was found

AFTER TAKEOFF AND CLIMBING, THE PILOTS WERE QUESTIONED BY ATC ABOUT THEIR ALTITUDE BEING 1200 FT WHEN THEY WERE LEVELING AT 4000 FT. CREW INFORMED ATC THAT THEIR ALTITUDE WAS 4000 FT, HOWEVER ATC REPLIED AGAIN THAT THEY WERE SHOWING THEM AT 1200 FT. THE CAPTAIN ALSO NOTICED THAT DURING THE CLIMB HE WAS SHOWING 2000 FPM CLIMB WHILE THE FIRST OFFICER`S WAS ONLY SHOWING 1000 FPM CLIMB. AT THAT TIME THE FIRST OFFICE`S AIRSPEED WAS AT VMO WHILE THE CAPTAINS WAS AT 200 KTS. AT THAT TIME THE CREW ELECTED TO RETURN TO DEPARTURE. DUE TO THE ERRONEOUS INSTRUMENT READINGS THE CREW DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND RETURNED. AIRCRAFT LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT AND TAXIED BACK TO THE HANGER. MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL DETERMINED THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM TO BE AN INTERNAL STATIC LEAK IN THE FIRST OFFICER`S ALTIMETER. THE ALTIMETER WAS REMOVED AND REPLACED AND THE PITOT STATIC SYSTEM WAS LEAK AND OPS CHECKED. DURING THE PITOT STATIC SYSTEM TEST THE CAPTAIN`S VSI WAS FOUND TO HAVE A 500FPM DIFFERENCE FORM THE FIRST OFFICER`S. THE CAPTAIN`S VSI WAS REMOVED AND REPLACED AND THE LEAK AND OPS CHECK WAS PERFORMED AGAIN WITH SATISFACTORY RESULTS.

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