Service difficulty report · Bolt · Hughes 369D

Difficulty date
March 19, 2014
Submitted
March 12, 2015
Operation
General aviation
Make and model
Hughes 369D
Aircraft time
9,245 hours
Engine
Allsn 250C20B
Part
Bolt
Part number
369D255031
Condition
Unserviceable
Location
T/R Driveshaft
Stage of operation
NR
How discovered
9
Nature of condition
O
Precautionary procedure
O

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

What was found

(CAN) T/R GEARBOX OIL WAS DARK AND EVIDENCE OF BLACK PASTE AND METAL ON CHIP PLUG. IT WAS DECIDED TO R & R T/R GEARBOX AND IN THE PROCESS OF DOING SO IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE COUPLING BOLT ATTACHING THE T/R DRIVESHAFT COUPLING TO THE T/R GEARBOX INPUT GEAR SHAFT HAD LOST ITS TORQUE AND WAS ALLOWING THE COUPLING TO CHATTER ON THE GEAR SHAFT. UPON DISASSEMBLY OF THE GEARBOX IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE BEARING RACE ON THE SHAFT WAS SPALLED AND RENDERED THE SHAFT UNSERVICEABLE. IT WAS ALSO DETERMINED THAT THE REASON FOR THE COUPLING BOLT LOSING ITS TORQUE WAS THAT THE LOCKING FEATURE WAS WORN TO THE POINT OF NON-EXISTENCE. IN DISCUSSIONS WITH A SERVICE CENTER, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT A NEW COUPLING BOLT ONLY BE USED 3 OR 4 TIMES BEFORE DISCARDING SO THAT A PROPER TORQUE CAN BE MAINTAINED.