Service difficulty report · Grounding Strap · Snias AS350B2

Difficulty date
February 29, 2016
Submitted
March 2, 2016
Operation
Air carrier
Aircraft
N128LN
Make and model
Snias AS350B2
Aircraft serial
3989
Aircraft time
4,554 hours, 13,671 cycles
Engine
Tmeca ARRIEL1D1
Engine time
4,212 hours, 9,383 cycles
Part
Grounding Strap
Condition
Broken
Location
Fuel System
Part time
4,554 hours, 13,671 cycles
Stage of operation
CL
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
N
Precautionary procedure
A

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

What was found

UPON TAKING OFF FROM A SCENE WITH A PATIENT ONBOARD, THE PILOT NOTICED THE FUEL PRESS LIGHT FLASHING. SCANNED THE OTHER INSTRUMENTS & NOTED THAT THE FUEL QTY INDICATOR WAS GOING UP & DOWN FROM OUR CURRENT FUEL LOAD OF 60% TO 0%. AFTER WATCHING THIS HAPPEN A FEW TIMES, MADE THE DECISION TO RETURN TO THE SCENE WHICH HAPPENED TO BE AN AIRPORT, TO FACILITATE THE MED CREW CONTINUING ON TO THE HOSPITAL WITH THE PATIENT VIA AMBULANCE. THE ACFT WAS SHUT DOWN WITH NO FURTHER ISSUES & MX WAS NOTIFIED. THE MECHANIC ARRIVED & DETERMINED IT WAS A GNDING CABLE ISSUE. FIXED THE CABLE & RETURNED THE ACFT TO SERVICE WITH NO ADDITIONAL DEFECTS NOTED.