SDR 2026F00041

Service difficulty report · Engine · Bell 407

Difficulty date
July 23, 2025
Submitted
March 19, 2026
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N777ZA
Make and model
Bell 407
Aircraft serial
54626
Aircraft time
5,442 hours, 5,070 cycles
Engine
Allsn 250C47B
Engine time
4,275 hours, 3,991 cycles
Part
Engine
Condition
Damaged
Location
Zone 200
Stage of operation
IN
How discovered
V
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

UNKNOWN INTERNAL ENGINE COMPONENT CAUSING BURNING OF OIL AFTER ENGINE OVERHAUL AND REPLACEMENT OF ALL 4 TURBINE WHEELS. FIRST OCCURRENCE RECORDED AFTER SMOKE WAS OBSERVED COMING FROM THE EXHAUST WHEN THE AIRCRAFT WAS AT IDLE AND DURING SHUTDOWN AFTER A FLIGHT ON 7/23/2025, ENGINE TSO: 13.9 HRS. TROUBLESHOOTING OF ENGINE AND AIRFRAME SYSTEMS COORDINATED WITH PHI (WHO PERFORMED THE PRIOR MAINTENANCE) AND ASSIGNED ROLLS ROYCE TECH REP. OIL APPEARED AND SMELLED BURNED. NO CONCLUSIVE CAUSE FOUND. ENGINE WAS REMOVED FROM SERVICE AND RETURNED TO PHI FOR A TEAR DOWN INSPECTION. DURING THE INSPECTION TIME, A RENTAL ENGINE ACCUMULATED 170.5 HOURS ON THE SAME AIRFRAME WITH NO DISCREPANCIES. NO CONCLUSIVE CAUSE WAS FOUND DURING PHI'S TEAR DOWN INSPECTION. ENGINE RETURNED TO ZIP AVIATION AND REINSTALLED ON THE SAME AIRFRAME ON 10/11/2025. ON 1/8/2026, TSO: 272.2 HRS, SMOKE WAS AGAIN OBSERVED COMING FROM THE EXHAUST AT IDLE AND SHUTDOWN AFTER A FLIGHT. TROUBLESHOOTING FOUND NO CONCLUSIVE CAUSE. OIL APPEARED AND SMELLED BURNED. ENGINE WAS REMOVED FROM SERVICE AND SENT BACK TO PHI FOR ADDITIONAL INSPECTION/TROUBLESHOOTING. NUMEROUS PARTS OF THE ENGINE HAVE BEEN REPLACED DURING THIS TIME. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 4 HOURS OF RUNNING ON THEIR TEST CELL, OIL IS STILL BEING FOUND TO BE BURNED. TROUBLESHOOTING IS STILL IN PROGRESS. PHI'S THEORY IS THE DISCREPANCY IS INTERNAL OF THE TURBINE MODULE. OPEN

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