Service difficulty report · Drain Valve · Snias AS350B3

Difficulty date
March 28, 2017
Submitted
April 3, 2017
Operation
Air carrier
Aircraft
N389P
Make and model
Snias AS350B3
Aircraft serial
7627
Aircraft time
1,602 hours, 3,173 cycles
Part
Drain Valve
Part number
50C18
Condition
Leaking
Location
Trnsmsn Deck
Part time
1,602 hours, 3,173 cycles
Stage of operation
CR
How discovered
O
Nature of condition
R, F, J
Precautionary procedure
A

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

What was found

DURING FLT, THE AIRCRAFT YAWED SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT & THEN BACK LEFT. IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE OCCURRENCE OF THE YAW, THE FIRST LIMITATION INDICATOR (FLI) FLUCTUATED SLIGHTLY, AND THE FEEL OF THE COLLECTIVE SETTING CHANGED AS THE POWER REQUIRED TO HOLD THE AIRCRAFT IN A STEADY TURN WAS HARDER TO MAINTAIN. AFTER ROLLING OUT OF THIS TURN, WHEN COLLECTIVE WAS APPLIED TO INCREASE AIRSPEED, THE YELLOW GOV LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE EP WAS INITIATED FOR A MINOR FADEC FAILURE IAW THE RFM. ON FINAL, IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THE ENGINE WAS NOT RESPONDING NORMALLY TO POWER CHANGES, AS THE FLI CONTINUED TO FLUCTUATE AND THE POWER TO MAINTAIN FLIGHT HAD TO BE ADJUSTED TO KEEP THE ENGINE FROM SURGING OR DROOPING. A TOUCH DOWN WITH SLIGHT FORWARD MOVEMENT WAS MADE TO MINIMIZE POWER. ON SHORT FINAL, GROUND OBSERVERS NOTED A LOT OF FUEL VENTING OUT OF THE DRAIN LINE AFT OF THE LEFT CARGO COMPARTMENT. SOURCE OF THE LEAK WAS THE DRAIN VALVE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE AIRFRAME FUEL FILTER ASSEMBLY, INSTALLED IAW STC SR01632NY.