Service difficulty report · Fuel Cell · Bell 205A1

Difficulty date
June 20, 2002
Submitted
July 8, 2002
Operation
Air carrier
Make and model
Bell 205A1
Aircraft time
19,656 hours
Engine
Lyc T5313B
Part
Fuel Cell
Condition
Contaminated
Location
Fuselage
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

(CAN) CRYSTALS WERE FOUND IN THE FUEL CELL WHILE IT WAS FIRE-FIGHTING HOUSE LAKE FIRE. THE CRYSTALS WERE FOUND DUE TO A BLOCKED EJECTOR PUMP. SOURCE OF THE CRYSTALS IN UNKNOWN. A SAMPLE OF THE CRYSTALS WAS PROVIDED FOR ANALYSIS. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CRYSTALS WERE SOLUBLE IN WATER, HAVE A MELTING POINT AND CONTAIN MAJOR PROPORTIONS OF MAGNESIUM AND CALCIUM AND TRACE AMOUNTS OF SODIUM. BELIEVE THESE CRYSTALS WOULD NOT PASS THROUGH THE NO-GO FILTERS ON THE FUEL DELIVERY SYSTEM THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY THAT THEY WERE INTRODUCED DIRECTLY INTO THE AIRCRAFT FUEL TANK.

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