Service difficulty report · Fitting · Agusta AW139

Difficulty date
July 4, 2020
Submitted
July 8, 2020
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N863AH
Make and model
Agusta AW139
Aircraft serial
31891
Aircraft time
175 hours
Part
Fitting
Condition
Loose
Location
Fuel Line
Part time
175 hours
Stage of operation
TX
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
X, J
Precautionary procedure
O

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

What was found

HELICOPTER LANDED AFTER A TRIP AND THE PILOT PROCEEDED WITH THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN PROCEDURE. AS PER THE ENGINE SHUTDOWN CHECK LIST, THE ENGINE SWITCH WAS IN THE IDLE POSITION. THE PILOT MOVED THE NR 1 AND 2 FUEL PUMP SWITCHES TO THE OFF POSITION. PILOT WAS WAITING FOR THE 2 MINUTES FOR COOL DOWN TIME, BUT AFTER APPROXIMATELY 30 SECONDS BOTH ENGINES SHUT DOWN BY THEMSELVES (ENGINE FLAME OUT). THE ENGINE SELECTOR SWITCHES WAS STILL IN THE IDLE POSITION. THE SHUT OFF VALVES FOR BOTH TANKS WAS IN THE OPEN POSITION. THE CROSS FEED SWITCH WAS IN THE NORMAL POSITION. MAINTENANCE STARTED TO INVESTIGATE THE PILOT WRITE UP AND FOUND THE RT TANK MAIN FUEL FEED LINE TO HAVE A LOOSE FITTING. THE MECHANIC DESCRIBES THE FITTING AS FREE TO MOVE BY HAND. IN ADDITION, THE FUEL WAS COMING OUT OF THE FUEL DRAIN ON THE BOTTOM OF THE HELICOPTER ON THE R/H SIDE ONLY. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL LEAKING FROM THE L/H SIDE. MAINTENANCE CONTINUED TO OPEN UP BOTH FUEL TANKS TO CHECK THE FUEL LINES INSIDE THE TANK BUT ALL WERE FOUND TO BE TIGHT. MAINTENANCE CHECKED AND REPLACED THE FUEL FILTERS BUT THE FILTERS DID NOT HAVE ANY VISIBLE SIGN OF WATER CONTAMINATION. ALSO A FUEL SAMPLE WAS SENT TO THE LAB AND THE RESULTS WERE NO WATER FOUND. FOR THE R/H SIDE LOOSE FUEL LINE, MAINTENANCE PROCEEDED TO TIGHTEN THE NUT AND NOTED THAT THE TORQUE STRIPE DID NOT LINE UP AS FROM FACTORY. MAINTENANCE CHECKED ALL FUEL LINES AND THERE IS NO VISUAL EVIDENCE OF OTHER FUEL LEAKS.

More about the Agusta AW139