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AS350 pilot reported making a precautionary landing due to a burning odor in the cabin caused by air conditioning compressor. Pilot cut the drive belt on the advice of company personnel and flew to a maintenance facility where it was learned that the procedure could only be performed by a qualified mechanic and that it was an MEL item.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 1000812 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201203 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201-1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | ZZZ.Airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | Eurocopter AS 350/355/EC130 - Astar/Twinstar/Ecureuil |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 135 |
| Flight Phase | Cruise |
| Route In Use | Visual Approach |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Component | |
| Aircraft Component | Air Conditioning Compressor |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Single Pilot Pilot Flying |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Commercial Flight Crew Flight Instructor |
| Experience | Flight Crew Last 90 Days 120 Flight Crew Total 2700 Flight Crew Type 400 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Deviation - Procedural MEL |
Narrative:
After making a precautionary landing due to a burning smell in the cabin (with no passengers aboard). I inspected the aircraft for the source of the smell; which turned out to be the air conditioner compressor bearings. I called my supervisor of flight to see how to proceed. I was advised that I could cut the air conditioner belt and fly back to a maintenance facility. The next day; I was told that to disable the airconditioning system was a MEL item and only a mechanic was supposed to disable the system before flying.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AS350 pilot reported making a precautionary landing due to a burning odor in the cabin caused by air conditioning compressor. Pilot cut the drive belt on the advice of company personnel and flew to a Maintenance facility where it was learned that the procedure could only be performed by a qualified Mechanic and that it was an MEL item.
Narrative: After making a precautionary landing due to a burning smell in the cabin (with no passengers aboard). I inspected the aircraft for the source of the smell; which turned out to be the air conditioner compressor bearings. I called my Supervisor of flight to see how to proceed. I was advised that I could cut the air conditioner belt and fly back to a Maintenance facility. The next day; I was told that to disable the airconditioning system was a MEL item and only a Mechanic was supposed to disable the system before flying.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.