Narrative:

While hand flying a full VOR approach, I descended into the overcast. Surface temperature was reported at approximately 23 degrees C and dewpoint I cannot recall, but humidity was high. The saab 340 air conditioning packs have a nasty tendency to collect condensed moisture in high humidity. As I began the approach, the vents above the front and side windows began to steadily drip ice cold water onto my approach plate and my pants. This same dripping occurred on the captain's side. The common remedy is to stuff paper napkins between the windows and aircraft vents to absorb and redirect the shower, but this does not work well. It is a very common problem for this aircraft. While we were able to continue the approach and landing, ice water pouring onto your pants is extremely distracting and therefore unsafe. I think that the SF340 air cycling machines or the duct system need to be redesigned to eliminate this problem. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated this airplane has water separators and also has in line filters in the system supposedly to prevent the overhead vent dripping problem. The reporter said when investigating the problem 2 stories are presented -- one the filters are hard to reach and service, and the other the filters are not being maintained. The reporter said the possibility may be the system is fixable. The reporter stated that at one station the dripping was written up and 2 technicians ran the engines and air conditioning packs and did something because the problem was eliminated for the rest of the day. Reporter stated no follow up was made on what method of operation the technicians used to correct the dripping.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A SAAB 340 ON APCH AT 1500 FT HAS COLD WATER DRIPPING ON CREW FROM COCKPIT OVERHEAD AIR CONDITIONING VENTS.

Narrative: WHILE HAND FLYING A FULL VOR APCH, I DSNDED INTO THE OVCST. SURFACE TEMP WAS RPTED AT APPROX 23 DEGS C AND DEWPOINT I CANNOT RECALL, BUT HUMIDITY WAS HIGH. THE SAAB 340 AIR CONDITIONING PACKS HAVE A NASTY TENDENCY TO COLLECT CONDENSED MOISTURE IN HIGH HUMIDITY. AS I BEGAN THE APCH, THE VENTS ABOVE THE FRONT AND SIDE WINDOWS BEGAN TO STEADILY DRIP ICE COLD WATER ONTO MY APCH PLATE AND MY PANTS. THIS SAME DRIPPING OCCURRED ON THE CAPT'S SIDE. THE COMMON REMEDY IS TO STUFF PAPER NAPKINS BTWN THE WINDOWS AND ACFT VENTS TO ABSORB AND REDIRECT THE SHOWER, BUT THIS DOES NOT WORK WELL. IT IS A VERY COMMON PROB FOR THIS ACFT. WHILE WE WERE ABLE TO CONTINUE THE APCH AND LNDG, ICE WATER POURING ONTO YOUR PANTS IS EXTREMELY DISTRACTING AND THEREFORE UNSAFE. I THINK THAT THE SF340 AIR CYCLING MACHINES OR THE DUCT SYS NEED TO BE REDESIGNED TO ELIMINATE THIS PROB. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THIS AIRPLANE HAS WATER SEPARATORS AND ALSO HAS IN LINE FILTERS IN THE SYS SUPPOSEDLY TO PREVENT THE OVERHEAD VENT DRIPPING PROB. THE RPTR SAID WHEN INVESTIGATING THE PROB 2 STORIES ARE PRESENTED -- ONE THE FILTERS ARE HARD TO REACH AND SVC, AND THE OTHER THE FILTERS ARE NOT BEING MAINTAINED. THE RPTR SAID THE POSSIBILITY MAY BE THE SYS IS FIXABLE. THE RPTR STATED THAT AT ONE STATION THE DRIPPING WAS WRITTEN UP AND 2 TECHNICIANS RAN THE ENGS AND AIR CONDITIONING PACKS AND DID SOMETHING BECAUSE THE PROB WAS ELIMINATED FOR THE REST OF THE DAY. RPTR STATED NO FOLLOW UP WAS MADE ON WHAT METHOD OF OP THE TECHNICIANS USED TO CORRECT THE DRIPPING.

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.