Service difficulty report · Filter · Snias AS350B3

Difficulty date
January 1, 2019
Submitted
January 3, 2019
Operation
Air carrier
Aircraft
N103LN
Make and model
Snias AS350B3
Aircraft serial
3128
Aircraft time
7,667 hours, 23,611 cycles
Engine
Tmeca ARRIEL2B
Engine time
7,391 hours, 14,957 cycles
Part
Filter
Part number
1350A21
Part serial
06490
Condition
Contaminated
Location
Engine Inlet
Stage of operation
CL
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
J
Precautionary procedure
A

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

What was found

TWO MINUTES INTO AN INTER-FACILTY FLIGHT, AND AS THE PILOT AND CREW WERE APPROACHING AIRPORT WHEN THE LOW INLET PRESSURE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE PILOT OPENED THE BYPASS DOORS AND DIVERTED TO THE AIRPORT. UPON LANDING, THE PILOT INSPECTED THE INLET FILTER AND SAW WATER DRIPPING OFF THE FILTER AND INTO THE ENGINE INLET. THE INLET COVER HAD BEEN PLACED ON THE AIRCRAFT THE DAY BEFORE AFTER AN UN-FORECASTED RAIN SHOWER HAD COME THROUGH THE AREA, TEMPS HAVE BEEN BELOW FREEZING ALL DAY. WHEN THE FILTER AND INLET WERE INSPECTED THIS MORNING DURING PREFLIGHT NO ANOMALIES WERE NOTED. SUSPECTED FREEZING OF A WET FILTER IS WHAT CAUSED THE LOW INLET PRESSURE ANNUNCIATOR LIGHT.