Service difficulty report · Garlock Seal · Snias AS350B3

Difficulty date
May 15, 2008
Submitted
May 19, 2008
Operation
Air carrier
Aircraft
N109LN
Make and model
Snias AS350B3
Aircraft serial
3995
Engine
Tmeca ARRIEL2B
Part
Garlock Seal
Part number
9560170620
Condition
Leaking
Location
Hmu
Stage of operation
CR
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
K, B
Precautionary procedure
A

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

What was found

AC WAS REQUESTED TO RESPOND TO THE AIRPORT FOR A SCENE RENDEZVOUS WITH THE AMBULANCE. AFTER DEPARTURE FROM HOSPITAL, THE MEDICAL CREW NOTICED A FUEL ODOR. THE FLIGHT WAS ABORTED AND AC LANDED AT MEDICAL CENTER WITH ALL AIRCRAFT INDICATIONS NORMAL. ON FINAL APPROACH AND LANDING, THE FUEL ODOR BECAME STRONGER AND AFTER LANDING, A LARGE QUANTITY OF FUEL WAS NOTED COMING FROM THE AC DRAINS AS WELL AS FUEL SPATTER ON THE SIDE CABIN WINDOWS. PARAMEDIC CREWMEMBER STOOD FIREGUARD AS AC WAS SHUTDOWN. AFTER SHUTDOWN THE ENGINE COWLING WAS OPENED AND LARGE QUANTITY OF FUEL WAS FOUND POOLING ON THE ENGINE DECK. MAINT HAD COMPLETELY REPLACED THE SEAL ON THE HMU EARLIER IN THE DAY AND MAINT RUNS HAD BEEN COMPLETED PRIOR TO THE AIRCRAFT BEING RETURNED TO SERVICE. THE SAME SEAL WAS AGAIN LEAKING. SEAL WAS REPLACED AGAIN.