Service difficulty report · Muffler · Lear 45LEAR

Difficulty date
December 31, 2014
Submitted
December 31, 2014
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N425G
Make and model
Lear 45LEAR
Aircraft serial
307
Aircraft time
4,188 hours, 3,187 cycles
Part
Muffler
Part number
12945096001
Part serial
NA
Condition
Cracked
Location
Tailcone
Part time
4,188 hours, 3,187 cycles
Stage of operation
IN
How discovered
O
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

A CABIN PRESSURIZATION CHECK WAS BEING PERFORMED DUE TO A WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT. THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT WAS ALSO DISASSEMBLED FOR OTHER MAINTENANCE. WHILE THE CABIN WAS PRESSURIZED, 1 OF THE TECHS NOTICED THAT THE CABIN AIR MUFFLER PROTECTIVE WRAP WAS INFLATING. CABIN WAS DEPRESSURIZED AND PART WAS EXAMINED CLOSER. PROTECTIVE WRAP WAS CUT AWAY AND CRACK WAS FOUND. A NEW PART WAS ORDER TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE PART. DURING THIS PRESSURIZATION CHECK IT WAS ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE CABIN AIR CHECK VALVE (S) WERE DEFECTIVE ALSO. THE MUFFLER SHOULD HAVE NEVER INFLATED IF THE CHECK VALVE (S) WERE SEALING PROPERLY. THE GROUND/MAINTENANCE CONNECTION POINT FOR PRESSURIZATION POINT FOR THE ACFT IS IN FRONT OF THE RT WING. THIS CRACKED MUFFLER WOULD HAVE GONE UNDETECTED UNTIL TOTAL FAILURE AND LOSS OF PRESSURIZATION. TO MY KNOWLEDGE THERE IS NOT A SPECIFIC INSPECTION FOR THIS ITEM. THIS ITEM IS DOWNSTREAM OF THE COOLING TURBINE AND JUST BEFORE THE CONDITIONED AIR ENTERS THE CABIN.