Service difficulty report · Fitting · Agusta AW139

Difficulty date
March 7, 2016
Submitted
March 29, 2016
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N639MC
Make and model
Agusta AW139
Aircraft serial
41288
Aircraft time
3,469 hours
Engine
Pwc PT6C67C
Part
Fitting
Part number
3G6330L00132
Condition
Galled
Location
Zone 200
Part time
3,469 hours
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

WHILE PERFORMING THE MGB BOLT INSPECTION ON THE LT LOWER FITTING, WE REMOVED THE COTTER PIN AND REMOVED THE NUT FROM THE FWD BOLT. WE ENSURED THE BOLT SPUN FREELY BEFORE WE ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE THE BOLT, WHICH IT DID BY HAND. THE BOLT EASILY REMOVED UPWARD UNTIL THE THREADS STARTED TO GO THROUGH THE DECK AND IT STOPPED MOVING. WE IMMEDIATELY STARTED HEATING THE FITTING AND SPRAYING DOWN WITH OIL. WE NOTICED THE PART OF THE SHANK THAT WAS EXPOSED TO US WAS DRY AND LOOKED LIKE THE FIRST TIME IT WAS REMOVED. AFTER HEATING AND SPRAYING WITH OIL AND EVEN TRYING TO FREEZE THE BOLT. WE COULD NOT SUCCESSFULLY MOVE THE BOLT UPWARD HOWEVER WE NOTICED THE BOLT SPUN EASILY BY HAND AND WAS STARTING TO MOVE UP. IT FELT AS IT WAS THREADED IN. WE STARTED TO REMOVE THE BOLT WITH THE UNDERSTANDING AS SOON AS THE BOLT COULD NOT BE TURNED BY HAND FREELY WE WOULD STOP. THE BOLT CONTINUED TO MOVE FREELY ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE DECK AND EVEN THROUGH THE FITTING. THE BOLT FINALLY FREED ITSELF AFTER THE LAST THREAD LEFT THE FITTING. AFTER INSPECTING THE FITTING AND THE DECK BORE, IT ALMOST APPEARED THAT BOTH AREA'S HAD A THREAD TAP RUN THROUGH IT. WE WERE UNTHREADING THE BOLT FROM BOTH THE DECK AND THE FITTING. AFTER SOME RESEARCH, TMI 139-410 WAS DISCOVERED FOR INSPECTING AND REPAIRING THIS SPECIFIC AREA. THE TMI WAS RELEASED 1-15-16, IT IS OBVIOUS THAT MFG IS HAVING PROBLEMS IN IS AREA AND THE DAMAGE DONE TO OUR ACFT WAS FROM THE FACTORY. SUSPECT THE BOLT WAS INSTALLED WITHOUT THE WEIGHT BEING RELIEVED FROM THE MOUNT AND WAS RUN DOWN REGARDLESS OF THE PROPER ALIGNMENT OF THE FITTING AND THE BORE.

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