Flight Summary
On March 7, 2021, a privately owned Raytheon B200 aircraft, registration LV-ZYB, departed from Estancia San Eugenio in Concepción, Corrientes, at 21:00 UTC, on a general aviation ferry flight to San Fernando International Airport. Approximately 45 minutes into the flight, while cruising at Flight Level 260 over Concordia, Entre Ríos, the pilot detected smoke in the cabin. The pilot declared an emergency and landed at Comodoro Pierrestegui Airport in Concordia. The flight crew consisted of one pilot (holding an Airline Transport Pilot License) and one passenger. No injuries were reported, and the aircraft sustained no damage besides the affected component.
Investigation Findings
The investigation revealed that the aft evaporator blower, a component of the air conditioning system used for cabin air recirculation and cooling, was damaged. Disassembly of the component identified a bearing failure that resulted in a short circuit. The corresponding fuse for the blower had been activated. The aircraft lacked a cockpit indication to alert the pilot of a malfunction in that component. No prior indications of system failure were noted during the flight. The pilot and aircraft were properly certified; the last annual inspection was completed on December 3, 2020. Maintenance records showed no previous failures of the air conditioning system. No service bulletins regarding this type of failure were found, and the JST database contained no records of similar failures on this aircraft model.
Analysis and Conclusions
The smoke in the cabin occurred as a result of a short circuit in the aft evaporator blower, caused by a bearing failure. The component is maintained on a condition basis, meaning corrective actions are only taken when required by its condition or through analysis. The pilot executed the emergency procedures for cabin smoke as outlined in the aircraft's flight manual and landed at the nearest suitable airport.