Service difficulty report · Torque Tube · Bell 412

Difficulty date
July 8, 2014
Submitted
March 12, 2015
Operation
General aviation
Make and model
Bell 412
Aircraft time
4,474 hours
Engine
Pwa PT6T3
Part
Torque Tube
Part number
412040510103
Condition
Sheared
Location
Mast
Part time
3,916 hours
Stage of operation
AP
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
J
Precautionary procedure
A

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

What was found

(CAN) DURING A NORMAL APPROACH OF 75% TORQUE THE PILOT NOTICED THE MAST TORQUE INCREASE TO OVER 110% WHILE THE ENGINE TORQUES REMAINED UNCHANGED. HE LANDED IN A FIELD 10 MILES SOUTH AND CALLED IN THAT HE HAD AN OVERTORQUE. THE MONO POLE SENSOR, SIGNAL CONDITIONER AND FILTER WERE SWAPPED FOR TROUBLE SHOOTING WITH NO IMPROVEMENT. THE ENGINEER RETURNED ALL PART TO THE ORIGINAL CONFIGURATION AND CLEANED ALL THE CANNON PLUGS AND DID 1 LAST RUN ALL WORKED CORRECTLY. THEY FLEW THE AIRCRAFT BACK TO , ON THE FLIGHT THE MAST TORQUE DROPPED TO 0 ON THE APPROACH TO. THE ENGINEER NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM THE MAST WHEN THE AIRCRAFT WAS ROCKED. THE MAS CAP WAS REMOVED AND THE TORQUE TUBE INSIDE THE MAST WAS FOUND SHEARED.

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