Service difficulty report · Bearing Seal · Bell 407

Difficulty date
January 31, 2019
Submitted
February 5, 2019
Operation
Air carrier
Aircraft
N407P
Make and model
Bell 407
Aircraft serial
53464
Aircraft time
7,642 hours, 30,298 cycles
Engine
Allsn 250C47B
Engine time
5,648 hours
Part
Bearing Seal
Part number
23089905
Condition
Leaking
Location
Compressor
Component
Compressor Assy · Allsn
Component part number
M25010559
Stage of operation
CR
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

ABOUT 10 MINUTES IN CRUISE FLIGHT, LIGHT SNOW WAS NOTED AND THE OAT WAS AROUND 0 SO I TURNED ON THE ENGINE ANTI-ICE AND PITOT HEAT. APPROXIMATELY 2 MINUTES AFTER THE SWITCHES HAD BEEN TURNED ON, LIGHT SMOKE WAS OBSERVED IN THE CABIN. AS THE DETERMINATION TO WHERE THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM WAS BEING ASSESSED, THE SMOKE QUICKLY BECAME HEAVY AND THICK AND THE SMELL OF BURNING OIL WAS PRESENT. IT BECAME DIFFICULT TO SEE UP FRONT AND AN EMERGENCY CALL WAS MADE. I LANDED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT INCIDENT TO AN OPEN FIELD AND MADE APPROPRIATE CALLS TO THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER AND TO THE PHI COMMUNICATIONS CENTER. THERE WERE NO FLUCTUATIONS OF THE COCKPIT INSTRUMENTS. UPON INSPECTION MAINTENANCE FOUND EVIDENCE OF THE ENGINE #1 BEARING OIL SEAL LEAKING THUS ALLOWING OIL TO BE VAPORIZED AND INTRODUCED INTO THE CABIN BLEED AIR HEATING SYSTEM WHEN THE ENGINE ANTI-ICE WAS TURNED ON. REPLACED FRONT SUPPORT, SEAL AND MATING RING.

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