Service difficulty report · Outflow Valve · Pilats PC1245

Difficulty date
March 16, 2001
Submitted
April 12, 2001
Operation
Air carrier
Make and model
Pilats PC1245
Aircraft time
2,469 hours
Engine
Pwa PT6A67B
Propeller
Hartzl HCE4A3D
Part
Outflow Valve
Part number
9599091121
Condition
Failed
Location
Cabin Pressure
Part time
2,744 hours, 2,401 cycles
Stage of operation
CR
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
J
Precautionary procedure
B, A

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

What was found

(CAN) AIRCRAFT WAS REPORTED TO HAVE JUST REACHED CRUISING ALTITUDE AT FL 290. THE CABIN ALTITUDE WARNING LIGHT ON THE CAWS PANEL ILLUMINATED. THE CREW VERIFIED THAT THE CABIN ALTITUDE HAD CLIMBED TO ABOVE 10,700 FEET AND INITIATED AN EMERGENCY DESCENT. THE AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO BASE. A TEST OF THE PRESSURIZATION CONTROL SYSTEM WAS PERFORMED BY MAINTENANCE. THE TEST REQUIRES THE OUTFLOW VALVE TO FULLY CLOSE DURING A SEQUENCE OF EVENTS. THE VALVE FAILED TO CLOSE AS INDICATED IN THE PILATUS MAINTENANCE MANUAL, AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY REPLACED.A GROUND TEST OF THE NEW VALVE, FOLLOWED BY A SATISFACTORY TEST FLIGHT AT 29,000 FEEET INDICATED THAT THERE WERE NO FURTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE PRESSURIZATION SYSTEM.