Narrative:

I performed a compressor wash on both l-hand and r-hand engines on aircraft X. I complied with the work card. Both collector tanks were drained at the completion of compressor washes and prior to the engine runs. Both engines got more than their minimum required run of 10 mins at flight idle due to the next task assigned to me which was r-hand propeller balance. Because the r-hand propeller was out of balance; it required weights added and then both engines run again. Note: each and every time I ran these engines; I turned on the low pressure and high pressure bleeds to run the air conditioning. I did not realize any smoke or heavy smell of compressor wash in the cockpit after the first initial engine runs required for the compressor wash (minimum of 10 mins at flight idle per work card). Altogether; both engines probably were run for at least 30-40 mins due to the combined tasks of performing engine compressor washes on both engines and balancing the r-hand propeller. Pilot write-up 'cleaning fluid smell in cockpit. Cause unknown.' next shift mechanics ran aircraft to dissipate smell. Aircraft then returned to service. Aircraft returned to gate. Instead of 2 wash cycles and 2 rinse cycles; I suggest having only 1 wash cycle and 2 rinse cycles with a minimum engine run time of 15 mins at 40% torque with low pressure and high pressure bleeds on; then 5 mins at ground idle. Then after the compressor wash runs; drain the epa tanks.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A SAAB-340B MECHANIC PERFORMED A COMPRESSOR WASH ON BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT ENGINES. PILOT MADE WRITE-UP ABOUT CLEANING SMELL IN COCKPIT.

Narrative: I PERFORMED A COMPRESSOR WASH ON BOTH L-HAND AND R-HAND ENGS ON ACFT X. I COMPLIED WITH THE WORK CARD. BOTH COLLECTOR TANKS WERE DRAINED AT THE COMPLETION OF COMPRESSOR WASHES AND PRIOR TO THE ENG RUNS. BOTH ENGS GOT MORE THAN THEIR MINIMUM REQUIRED RUN OF 10 MINS AT FLT IDLE DUE TO THE NEXT TASK ASSIGNED TO ME WHICH WAS R-HAND PROP BAL. BECAUSE THE R-HAND PROP WAS OUT OF BAL; IT REQUIRED WTS ADDED AND THEN BOTH ENGS RUN AGAIN. NOTE: EACH AND EVERY TIME I RAN THESE ENGS; I TURNED ON THE LOW PRESSURE AND HIGH PRESSURE BLEEDS TO RUN THE AIR CONDITIONING. I DID NOT REALIZE ANY SMOKE OR HVY SMELL OF COMPRESSOR WASH IN THE COCKPIT AFTER THE FIRST INITIAL ENG RUNS REQUIRED FOR THE COMPRESSOR WASH (MINIMUM OF 10 MINS AT FLT IDLE PER WORK CARD). ALTOGETHER; BOTH ENGS PROBABLY WERE RUN FOR AT LEAST 30-40 MINS DUE TO THE COMBINED TASKS OF PERFORMING ENG COMPRESSOR WASHES ON BOTH ENGS AND BALANCING THE R-HAND PROP. PLT WRITE-UP 'CLEANING FLUID SMELL IN COCKPIT. CAUSE UNKNOWN.' NEXT SHIFT MECHS RAN ACFT TO DISSIPATE SMELL. ACFT THEN RETURNED TO SVC. ACFT RETURNED TO GATE. INSTEAD OF 2 WASH CYCLES AND 2 RINSE CYCLES; I SUGGEST HAVING ONLY 1 WASH CYCLE AND 2 RINSE CYCLES WITH A MINIMUM ENG RUN TIME OF 15 MINS AT 40% TORQUE WITH LOW PRESSURE AND HIGH PRESSURE BLEEDS ON; THEN 5 MINS AT GND IDLE. THEN AFTER THE COMPRESSOR WASH RUNS; DRAIN THE EPA TANKS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.