Service difficulty report · Gas Generator · Airtrc AT802A

Difficulty date
March 19, 2007
Submitted
May 5, 2008
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N803DG
Make and model
Airtrc AT802A
Aircraft serial
802A0077
Aircraft time
1,800 hours, 2,520 cycles
Engine
Pwc PT6A67AG
Engine time
1,800 hours, 2,520 cycles
Propeller
Hartzl HCB5MA3
Part
Gas Generator
Part number
310718501
Condition
Eroded
Location
Engine
Part time
1,800 hours, 2,520 cycles
Stage of operation
IN
How discovered
V
Nature of condition
O
Precautionary procedure
K

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

What was found

AS THE 'T' HEAD BOLTS WERE BEING REMOVED FOR HSI, ONE NUT DETACHED FROM THE BOLT SHANK WITH THE THREAD INSIDE THE NUT. CLOSE INSPECTION OF THE ADJACENT BOLT REVEALED SEVERE EROSION (NOT CORROSION OR STRETCH DAMAGE) TO THE BOLT SHANK. IT WAS FURTHER NOTED AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY THE MANUFACTURER REP THAT THE EXHAUST DUCT FLANGE AND GAS GENERATOR FLANGE IN THE BROKEN BOLT AREA HAD MATERIAL LOSS THAT WAS ALLOWING P3 AIR LOSS THAT MAY BE ATTRIBUTED TO THE HIGHER THAN NORMAL OIL TEMP INDICATION ON THE GROUND. THE AIR LEAK IS VENTING ONTO THE SCAVENGE OIL TUBE COUPLING. MANUFACTURER REPS SAY THAT THIS IS AN ISOLATED CASE AND IS NOT A SAFETY OF FLIGHT ISSUE AS THAT THERE ARE MANY MORE BOLTS THAT HOLD 'C' FLANGE TOGETHER.