Service difficulty report · Filter · Bell 430

Difficulty date
September 26, 2019
Submitted
September 27, 2019
Operation
Air carrier
Aircraft
N430UH
Make and model
Bell 430
Aircraft serial
49056
Aircraft time
8,808 hours, 30,570 cycles
Engine
Allsn 250C40B
Engine time
7,494 hours, 18,789 cycles
Part
Filter
Part number
SR02974CH
Condition
Abnormal
Location
Engine Inlet
Stage of operation
CL
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

DURING CLIMB OUT, PILOT TURNED ON AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM AND CABIN FILLED WITH SMOKE. PILOT IMMEDIATELY RETURNED BACK TO BASE AND MAINTENANCE WAS ON SITE TO INSPECT. UPON INVESTIGATION, IT WAS NOTICED THAT THE INLET BARRIER FILTERS HAS JUST BEEN REPLACED WITH SERVICEABLE SET. ENGINE GROUND RUN AND POWER CHECKS HAD BEEN PERFORMED. INSPECTION OF BLEED AIR LINES HAD SIGNS OF THE RED OIL USED TO SERVICE THE FILTERS, AND SHOWED SIGNS OF OIL EXITING THE ENGINE DIFUSERS. PILOT HAD REPORTED THAT THE SMOKE HAD CLEARED PRIOR TO LANDING, AND THAT SMOKE HAD OILY SMELL TO IT. ALL SIGNS POINTING OVERSERVICE OF ENGINE INLET BARRIER FILTERS. CLEANED EXCESS OIL, PERFORMED GROUND RUNS AND OPS CHECK OF AIR CONDITION SYSTEM, NO SMOKE PRESENT. AIRCAFT WAS RELEASED TO SERVICE.

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