Service difficulty report · Indicator · Gippld GA8

Difficulty date
October 26, 2006
Submitted
December 4, 2006
Operation
General aviation
Make and model
Gippld GA8
Aircraft time
487 hours
Engine
Lyc IO540K1A5
Part
Indicator
Condition
Burned
Location
Pitot Heat
Part time
1,100 hours
Stage of operation
NR
How discovered
9
Nature of condition
B, H
Precautionary procedure
O

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

What was found

(CAN) PILOT REPORTED MALFUNCTION OF PITOT HEAT BREAKER SWITCH, UPON INSPECTION, CIRCUIT BOARD ATTACHED TO BACK OF SWITCH WAS FOUND BADLY BURNT AND END OF WIRE CONNECTION FROM THE PITOT TO THE POWER SWITCH WAS FOUND OVERHEATED. MAIN PITOT WAS REPAIRED. THE CIRCUIT BOARD CLAMPED BETWEEN THE BREAKER SWITCH AND THE PITOT HEAT WIRE WAS U/S DUE TO OVERHEAT. THIS INSTALLATION APPEARS TO BE FROM FACTORY. 2 POSSIBLE CAUSES OF THIS FAILURE: 1) FIBERGLASS CIRCUIT BOARD COULD NOT STAND UP TO PRESSURE OF ATTACHMENT SCREW. DUE TO POOR CONNECTION , THE CONNECTION WOULD HAVE HEATED UP AND UPON GETTING HOT ENOUGH, RESIN IN FIBERGLASS BOARD WOULD HAVE DISINTIGRATED CAUSING PITOT HEAT FAILURE. 2) PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD HAS WI