Service difficulty report · Wire · Snias AS350B3

Difficulty date
January 1, 2009
Submitted
January 6, 2009
Operation
Air carrier
Aircraft
N396LG
Make and model
Snias AS350B3
Aircraft serial
3336
Aircraft time
4,959 hours, 24,123 cycles
Part
Wire
Condition
Chafed
Stage of operation
AA
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
B
Precautionary procedure
A

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

What was found

WITHIN (1) MINUTE AFTER TAKEOFF ON A LOCAL HOSPITAL TRANSFER FLIGHT THE PILOT AND AIRCREW SMELLED BURNING ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS WENT OUT AT THE SAME TIME. NO FIRE WAS SEEN AND NO VISIBLE SMOKE WAS PRESENT. PILOT TURNED THE ACFT FOR THE HOME BASE HOSPITAL AND PICKED AN ALTERNATE LANDING AREA CLOSER IN CASE THE SMOKE OR FIRE BECAME VISIBLE. ACFT WAS LANDED SAFELY AND WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT AT THE HOSPITAL HELIPAD. NO VISIBLE DAMAGE WAS NOTICED DURING POSTFLIGHT INSP. WIRE WAS CHAFING AGAINST THE UPPER RT SIDE OF THE VEMD CASING. UPON WEARING THROUGH THE INSULATION THE WIRE SHORTED BLOWING THE INSTL LTS 2 FUSE. THE WIRE WAS REPAIRED AND REROUTED TO PREVENT FURTHER CHAFING.