Service difficulty report · Alternator · Piper PA31350

Difficulty date
January 8, 2008
Submitted
February 15, 2008
Operation
General aviation
Make and model
Piper PA31350
Aircraft time
3,579 hours
Engine
Lyc TIO540J2BD
Propeller
Hartzl HCC4YR2
Part
Alternator
Part number
ALU8421R
Part serial
H000002
Condition
Inoperative
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) IN CRUISE, AC STARTED TO LOOSE ELECTRICAL POWER. FIRST INDICATION, THE TRANSPONDER FAILED. AC THEN RETURNED TO AIRPORT. BOTH LT AND RT ALTERNATOR FAIL INDICATOR LIGHTS REMAINED OUT DURING THE FLIGHT. UPON INSP NEITHER ALTERNATOR WAS CHARGING THE SYS. THE ONLY POWER SUPPLY WAS THE AC BATTERY. THE LT ALTERNATOR WAS FOUND TO BE UNSERVICEABLE. THE RT ALTERNATOR, BECAUSE OF THE ADDED ELECTRICAL LOAD PUT ON IT, CAUSED THE ALTERNATOR BELT TO SLIP ON THE PULLEY, MAKING THE ALTERNATOR INOPERATIVE. ALL AC RADIOS, NECESSARY LIGHTS AND DEICING HEAT WAS ON AT THIS TIME. (TC NR 20080121009)

More about the Piper PA-31-350