Service difficulty report · Alternator · Piper PA31

Difficulty date
January 20, 2005
Submitted
March 3, 2005
Operation
General aviation
Make and model
Piper PA31
Aircraft time
11,809 hours
Engine
Lyc IO540M1A5
Propeller
Hartzl HCE2YR2
Part
Alternator
Part number
ALU8421R
Part serial
904700001
Condition
Shorted
Location
Engine
Stage of operation
CR
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
H
Precautionary procedure
A

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

What was found

(CAN) AN INTERNAL SHORT IN THE ALTERNATOR CAUSED THE VOLTAGE REGULATER CIRCUIT BREAKER TO POP. DUE TO THE DESIGN OF THE SYSTEM, THE FAILURE WAS NOT ISOLATED TO THE FAILED SIDE. THE PILOT TURNED OFF ALL ELECTRIC DEVICES AND LANDED AT THE NEAREST AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS FERRIED TO ANOTHER AIRPORT WERE THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED.

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