Aircraft flown past recommended start cycle time on engines.

Attributes
ACN	318566
Time
Date	199510
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 317
ASRS Report	318566
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Aircraft engines were started beyond manufacturer recommended cycles. The number of cycles allowed on the 1ST and 2ND stage turbine wheel is 3000 hours or 3000 cycles, whichever occurs first. We track the starts but the starts are not in sync with the cycles. Ie, engine #1 had 3641 starts and cycles were 3013 and engine #2 had 3070 starts and cycles were 3010. Our aircraft generally averages 50 cycles per computer print-out status sheet. The sheet we were working on showed 128 and 140 cycles remaining on engine #1 and #2 respectively. That sheet was dated sep/wed/95, so we estimated a greater period of time remaining before the turbines needed to be changed. However, because of a M/right vibration a week earlier, we did excessive starting and troubleshooting to track and balance the system. When we received the new status sheet oct/tue/95 it showed 28 and 35 cycles remaining for engines #1 and #2. After receiving the status sheet, further investigation showed that we had exceeded the cycle count on oct/tue/95.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT FLOWN PAST RECOMMENDED START CYCLE TIME ON ENGS.

Narrative: ACFT ENGS WERE STARTED BEYOND MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDED CYCLES. THE NUMBER OF CYCLES ALLOWED ON THE 1ST AND 2ND STAGE TURBINE WHEEL IS 3000 HRS OR 3000 CYCLES, WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST. WE TRACK THE STARTS BUT THE STARTS ARE NOT IN SYNC WITH THE CYCLES. IE, ENG #1 HAD 3641 STARTS AND CYCLES WERE 3013 AND ENG #2 HAD 3070 STARTS AND CYCLES WERE 3010. OUR ACFT GENERALLY AVERAGES 50 CYCLES PER COMPUTER PRINT-OUT STATUS SHEET. THE SHEET WE WERE WORKING ON SHOWED 128 AND 140 CYCLES REMAINING ON ENG #1 AND #2 RESPECTIVELY. THAT SHEET WAS DATED SEP/WED/95, SO WE ESTIMATED A GREATER PERIOD OF TIME REMAINING BEFORE THE TURBINES NEEDED TO BE CHANGED. HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF A M/R VIBRATION A WK EARLIER, WE DID EXCESSIVE STARTING AND TROUBLESHOOTING TO TRACK AND BALANCE THE SYS. WHEN WE RECEIVED THE NEW STATUS SHEET OCT/TUE/95 IT SHOWED 28 AND 35 CYCLES REMAINING FOR ENGS #1 AND #2. AFTER RECEIVING THE STATUS SHEET, FURTHER INVESTIGATION SHOWED THAT WE HAD EXCEEDED THE CYCLE COUNT ON OCT/TUE/95.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.