Dropped a 10mm socket into a PT6 intake at 3pm on a Friday

Spent 45 minutes with a borescope fishing it out of the compressor section at my hangar in DFW while the lead just stared at me. Anyone else lose a tool in a turbine and have to explain it to the chief?

3 comments

3 Comments

taylor.phoenix1mo ago

Preach, lost my favorite Snap-On ratchet in a Lear fan once and almost cried.

paul2331mo ago

yeah i saw this tiktok the other day where a guy dropped a screwdriver into a turbofan and they had to pull the whole engine apart to find it. cost like 50 grand or something wild. 45 minutes with a borescope honestly sounds like a win to me, at least you got it out before the weekend started. i read on some aviation mechanic forum that the 10mm socket is basically the official mascot of losing tools in tight places. chief probably just stood there cause he was trying to process how you even got it past the intake screen in the first place. been there with dropping a socket into a car engine bay but a PT6 is next level stress. props to you for getting it back without having to tell the higher ups you need a new compressor.

masondixon1mo ago

45 minutes is a miracle honestly, the chief probably wanted to fire you on the spot.