Service difficulty report · Nut · Bell 429

Difficulty date
February 26, 2019
Submitted
August 14, 2020
Operation
General aviation
Make and model
Bell 429
Aircraft time
3 hours
Part
Nut
Condition
Loose
Location
Tail Rotor Head
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) DURING PRE-FLIGHT CHECK THE TAILROTOR MAST NUT WAS FOUND LOOSE. AS EVERY MORNING A LICENSED MECHANIC CARRIED OUT THE PRE-FLIGHT CHECK AND FOUND THE DEFECT. IT`S THE SAME MECHANIC WHO CHECKED THE TAIL ROTOR THE DAY BEFORE, AND HE` S 100 PERCENT SURE THAT EVERYTHING WAS OK THE DAY BEFORE. -MAST NUT, RING, RING LOCK AND LOCK WASHER WAS IN PLACE. PLAY WAS DETECTED BETWEEN THE CONE UP TO THE CONE SET. -WHEN TRYING TO DO THE TORQUE CHECK OF THE MAST NUT, WE NOTICED THAT THE NUT COULD BE TIGHTENED BY HAND ONE AND A HALF TURNS. -WHEN REACHING THE TORQUE VALUE, (131-152 NM), EVERYTHING WAS WITHOUT PLAY.

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