Service difficulty report · Pitot Tube · Piper PA46350P

Difficulty date
December 9, 2020
Submitted
December 10, 2020
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N20PT
Make and model
Piper PA46350P
Aircraft serial
4636771
Aircraft time
67 hours
Part
Pitot Tube
Condition
Leaking
Stage of operation
CR
How discovered
O
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

OWNER REPORTED THE VERTICAL SPEED INDICATION WAS INTERMITTENTLY FLUCTUATING ON PILOT AND COPILOT SIDE IN CRUISE AND AIRSPEED SEEMED LOW. INSPECTED AIRCRAFT AND FOUND BOTH PITOT SYSTEMS TO HAVE LEAKS. UPON CLOSER INSPECTION OF PITOT TUBE INSTALLATION IT WAS NOTED THAT PLASTIC NUT CONNECTIONS WERE NOT FULLY SEATED (ABOUT THREE THREADS VISIBLE BELOW NUT). THE NUTS WERE BEYOND FINGER TIGHT, BUT FURTHER TIGHTENING WITH WRENCH SEATED THE NUTS ON THE FITTINGS. RETESTED PITOT SYSTEMS FOR LEAKS AND NO PITOT LEAKS WERE NOTED. SUSPECT THAT PITOT SYSTEM WAS TESTED SATIFACTORLY BY FACTORY, BUT THE LINES/FITTINGS DEVELOPED SMALL LEAKS OVER THE FIRST 50 HOURS OF OPERATION.

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