AIRWORTHINESS

Electrical discharge
Electrical discharge pitting - PT6A accessory drive gear.

PT6A engines have been

identified as susceptible
to electrical discharge
damage. What is it and
how can it be prevented?

By Les Lyons
n August 2000, an Australian Shorts 360
operator was forced to shut down a Pratt
& Whitney Canada PT6A engine during a
scheduled airline flight. It was the fourth time
in 13 months the operator had experienced
such a problem. CASA investigations revealed
overseas PT6A operators had reported similar
difficulties.
An electrical current from the starter generator output shaft discharging into the engine
accessory drive train caused the Australian
PT6A in-flight shut down. The electrical
discharge pitted the accessory drive gears and
the number one engine bearing. The pitting
of the bearing led to fatigue failure of the
bearings and subsequent engine failure.
Worldwide there have been 17 PT6A electrical discharge damage-related number one
bearing engine failures resulting in in-flight

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shut downs. Nine of these events occurred

during the last two years.
Five events involved Australian operators
conducting scheduled airline services. All 17
events involved PT6A-60 series engines and
were linked to problems with the starter
generator.
Electrical discharge: Electrical discharge
damage occurs when electrical current from
the starter generator output shaft discharges
into the engine through the engine accessory
drive train. There are two types of starter
generator armature defects that could result
in current being applied to the starter generator output shaft.
The most common, and preventable, is
armature leakage which can occur simply
from the accumulation of brush dust. A build
up of brush dust can provide a track between
the commutator and the shaft. The periodic

AIRWORTHINESS
Comparison of a new bearing with a
bearing that has suffered from
electrical discharge damage (far
right). The damaged bearing is from a
PT6A engine that failed during a flight
last year. The electrical discharge
pitted the accessory gears and the
number one engine bearing causing
bearing failure and engine failure.

PHOTOS: COURTESY ATSB

This photo shows how electrical

discharge pitting has caused
overheating of the bearing. Electrical
pits from the starter-generator
output-shaft discharge into the
engine, initiating spalling of the
bearing which creates vibration and
overheating. This leads to fatigue
failure of the bearing and can result
in engine failure.

Typical number one bearing damage

resulting from electrical discharge.
Failure of the number one bearing is
the most common result of electrical
discharge damage. The number one
bearing is found in the compressor
inlet case and is one of two bearings
supporting the gas generator rotor.
When the bearing fails, the rotor
stops and the engine fails.

FLIGHT SAFETY AUSTRALIA, NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2001 < 37

AIRWORTHINESS

PHOTO: COURTESY PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA

field cleaning and resistance check detailed in

the Lucas starter generator maintenance
manual is a simple and effective response to
this problem.
The second type of defect is a hard short or
a high resistance to earth caused by an insulation breakdown in the commutator or in the
lamination slots. The periodic field cleaning
and resistance check detailed in the Lucas
starter generator maintenance manual may
also provide an indication of armature insulation breakdown.
Engine failure: Examination of failed engines
has shown the most common result of electrical discharge damage is complete failure of
the number one bearing. Bearing failure was
found to have originated from electrical
discharge pits. The pits initiated spalling of
the bearing which created vibration and overheating leading to fatigue failure of the
bearing.
The number one bearing is a ball bearing
and a component of the gas generator module.
It is located in the compressor inlet case and is
one of two bearings supporting the gas generator rotor. When the bearing fails, the rotor
drops, resulting in rotor to case contact and
gas generator rotor stoppage, causing engine
failure. There have been no reports of fire or
release of high-energy components related to
a number one bearing failure.
Electrical discharge damage can be

prevented by compliance with the periodic

field cleaning and resistance check detailed in
the Lucas starter generator maintenance
manual.
Manufacturers response: TRW Lucas Aerospace conducted current flow and armature
resistance tests on starter generators sourced
from operators involved in electrical discharge

Examination of failed
engines has shown the
most common result of
electrical discharge
damage is complete
failure of the number
one bearing.

damage events. In response, the company is

developing a new starter generator shaft that
insulates the armature from the engine drive
gear. When released, this modification will be
directly interchangeable with existing starter
generators in all installations.
Pratt & Whitney Canada has issued a series
of service bulletins to require oil system

38 > FLIGHT SAFETY AUSTRALIA, NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2001

monitoring of engines identified as being at

risk by the applicable aircraft manufacturer.
The monitoring is to be carried out the same
way as the oil filter patch check inspection
procedure published in the maintenance
manual applicable to that PT6A model.
As required by Shorts, Pratt & Whitney
Canada has issued service bulletins applicable
to PT6A-65R, -65AR in the SD360, and the
PT6A-67R in the SD360-300. As agreed by
Raytheon, the company has issued a service
bulletin applicable only to the PT6A-67D in
the B1900D.
The Pratt & Whitney Canadas long-term
response includes a program to investigate a
number of proposed modifications to the
starter drive. The program aims to develop a
modification that will insulate the engine gear
train from electrical discharge.
Raytheon has issued Safety Communiqu
172. This recommends that B1900D operators who have had a starter generator removed
for other than scheduled maintenance,
comply with the requirements of the applicable Pratt & Whitney service bulletin
detailing the oil filter patch check inspection.
Raytheon has also amended the B1900D
maintenance manual to include a starter
generator output shaft spline inspection
following the removal of a failed starter
generator. If there is any evidence of discharge
pitting on the spline, the Pratt & Whitney oil

PT6A accessory drive gear

pitting resulting from
electrical damage.

filter patch inspection is to be carried out.

While Raytheon has not identified engines
in the B300 and B1900/B1900C to be at risk,
the B300 and B1900/B1900C maintenance
manuals are also being revised to require a
starter generator output shaft spline inspection following the removal of a failed starter
generator. If there is any evidence of
discharge pitting on the spline, the Pratt &
Whitney oil filter patch inspection is to be
carried out.
Raytheon has also advised that the periodic
resistance checks and brush cleaning detailed
in TRW Lucas maintenance manual 23700
should eliminate concern for brush dust and
electrical current discharge.
However, Raytheon B300 and B1900
aircraft maintenance schedules do not
include starter generator periodic field
cleaning and resistance checks recommended
in the Lucas manual so Raytheon does not
publish requirements that may prevent electrical discharge damage.
Shorts has issued Service Bulletin SD36072-1 recommending SD360 and SD360-300
operators, who have had a faulty starter generator removed, comply with the requirements
of the Pratt & Whitney service bulletin that
details the oil filter patch check inspection.
The Shorts SD360 aircraft maintenance
schedule also does not include the starter
generator periodic field cleaning and resist-

ance checks detailed in the Lucas starter

generator maintenance manual. That is,
Shorts do not publish requirements that may
prevent electrical discharge damage.
Pilatus has reviewed PC-12 aircraft for the
potential of electrical discharge damage
susceptibility. This review resulted in an
amendment to the PC-12 maintenance
manual to require the periodic cleaning of
brush dust from the starter generator.
CASAs response: In Australia, there have
been five PT6A electrical discharge events
involving scheduled passenger aircraft. CASA
has directed operators carrying fare paying

passengers on PT6A-60 series powered

aircraft, to amend their maintenance schedules to include enhanced starter generator onwing maintenance and oil system monitoring
of engines which have had a defective starter
generator removed.
For more information, contact Les Lyons,
Certification Standards Branch on 131 757,
by fax on (02) 6217 1914 or e-mail
lyons_l@casa.gov.au
Les Lyons is CASAs technical specialist,
covering general aviation and low capacity
airline powerplants

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