Service difficulty report · Stator · Hughes 369D

Difficulty date
March 18, 2019
Submitted
August 17, 2020
Operation
General aviation
Make and model
Hughes 369D
Aircraft time
20,333 hours
Engine
Allsn 250C20B
Part
Stator
Condition
Broken
Location
6th Stage
Stage of operation
IN
How discovered
9
Nature of condition
O
Precautionary procedure
K

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

What was found

(CAN) UPON ROUTINE INSPECTION OF COMPRESSOR CASE HALFS (WHILE ENGINE WAS REMOVED FROM AIRFRAME) IT WAS FOUND THAT ONE OF THE 6TH STAGE STATOR BLADES HAD BROKEN OFF ONE OF THE CASE HALFS AND BEEN INJESTED INTO THE COMPRESSOR CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR SECTION, AND THROUGH INTO COMBUSTION AND TURBINE SECTION OF ENGINE. IT IS UNKNOWN WHEN THE BLADE WAS ACTUALLY SHED, AS THERE WERE NO COMPLAINTS FROM PILOTS IN PAST FLIGHTS OF ANY ANOMOLIES, BE IT POWER, NOISE OR VIBRATION. COMPRESSOR ASSEMBLY SUFFERED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE. COMBUSTION SECTION AND TURBINE ASSEMBLY DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY APPRECIABLE DAMAGE (AS DETERMINED BY ENGINE OVERHAUL SHOP UPON FULL EVALUATION). (TC# 20190507012)