Service difficulty report · Pitot Tube · Robsin R44RAVENII

Difficulty date
February 22, 2020
Submitted
March 11, 2020
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N277PD
Make and model
Robsin R44RAVENII
Aircraft serial
10265
Aircraft time
2,837 hours, 1,500 cycles
Part
Pitot Tube
Condition
Fractured
Location
Pitot/Static Sys
Part time
2,837 hours, 150 cycles
Stage of operation
CR
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
G, J
Precautionary procedure
O

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

What was found

TUBING ON BACK OF HEATED PITOT TUBE FRACTURED AND CAME OFF FOR THE SECOND TIME CAUSING TOTAL LOSS OF AIRSPEED INDICATION. LOSS OF AIRSPEED ALSO CAUSED PFD ASPEN EVOLUTION EFD1000H TO FAIL TO GIVE DIRECTION AND ATTITUDE. FLIGHT WAS STILL POSSIBLE UNDER VFR AND RETURNED TO BASE. ASPEN UNIT SHOULD NOT LOOSE DIRECTION INDICATOR AND ATTITUDE INDICATOR WHEN ONLY LOSING AIRSPEED FROM PITOT. THIS IS A BUG WITH ASPEN EFD1000H THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED BEFORE IT HAPPENS TO SOMEONE FLYING IFR OR SOMEONE FLYING WITH AUTOPILOT. PITOT TUBE ALSO FRACTURED PREMATURELY FOR SECOND TIME AND NEEDS REDESIGN. THIS IS A HEATED PITOT TUBE FROM ROBINSON. WILL REPORT TO ASPEN AND ROBINSON FOR UPDATE AND FIX. PICTURE WILL BE SENT BY E-MAIL.