N101VU
Registered owner: AIR METHODS LLC, CO (owner ≠ operator)
Operators of this aircraft
Who operated this tail, and how firmly we know it.
| Operator | Role | Period | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| AIR METHODS LLC (QMLA) | Certificate holder | — | Matched by certificate designator |
Accident & incident history
No NTSB accidents or incidents on file for this aircraft.
Maintenance disclosures
DURING 299 EVALUATION CHECK RIDE, PILOT ON THE CONTROLS HEAR A FAINT SQUEELING, SCREECHING SOUND FOLLOWED BY A STRONG SMOKE SMELL IN THE COCKPIT. ACFT WAS IMMEDIATELY LANDED BACK AT THE BASE/AIRPORT (KTHA) AND SHUT DOWN FOR INSPECTION. THE AIRC ONDITIONING BELT WAS FOUND SEPARATED AND PARTIALLY MELTED.
DURING AN 800 HOUR AIRFRAME INSPECTION, FOUND A CRACK IN THE TOP FLANGE OF FRAME ONE. THE CRACK IS LOCATED ON THE FWD BOTTOM LBL 195 ON RIB P/N B531K1341-205 BENEATH THE CENTER CONSOLE MOUNT AND WAS MEASURED TO BE 1.4 INCH IN LENGTH.
WHILE MOVING THE AIRCRAFT INTO THE HANGER, THE PILOT ACCIDENTALLY PUNCHED A HOLE IN THE BELLY BEHIND THE AFT CROSS TUBE ON THE #2 SIDE FROM THE HELIPORTER.
PILOT REPOTS THAT " UPON LIFT HAD A LARGE TORQUE SPLIT. ENGINE WENT FROM CATA TO MAUAL. FUEL SMELL IMMEDIATELY AFTER SPLIT." BASE MECHANIC RESPONDED TO BASE. MECHAIC VISUALLY INSPECTED #1 & #2 ENGINE FUEL CONTROL ANTISIPATORS FOR EVIDENCE OF BINDING AND PROPER FUNCTION. NO DEFECTS NOTED AT THIS TIME.LEAK CHECKED ENGINE FUEL SYSTEM WITH PRIME PUMPS ON, NO LEAKS FOUND. FUEL SYSTEM LEAK CHECK PERFORMED ON #1 ENG DURING AND AFTER ENGINE START, FOUND START FUEL DRAIN VALVE LEAKING 1 DROP PER SECOND.
FOUND 3 CRACKS AT STATION 6616 DURING INSPECTION OF TAIL CONE & 4 CRACKS ON EQUIPMENT DECK. THIS DAMAGE WAS FOUND AS A RESULT OF REMOVING THE TAIL BOOM FOR OTHER MX TO BE PERFORMED. THIS ACFT REMAINS OUT OF SERVICE AT THE TIME OF THIS SUBMISSION, PENDING APPROVED DATA TO REPAIR THESE CRACKS FROM THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURER.
FOUND 3 CRACKS & 8 J BOLTS LOOSE ON LT SIDE OF TAIL BOOM AT HORIZONTAL FITTING DURING AN AIRWORTHINESS CHECK. THIS DAMAGE WILL REQUIRE THE TAIL BOOM BE REMOVED & SENT TO MFG FOR REPAIR. THIS ACFT REMAINS OUT OF SERVICE AT THE TIME OF THIS SUBMISSION.
DURING TAKEOFF FROM LANDING ZONE THE NR 1 SYS MGB OIL PRESS DROPPED TO .4 BAR, BELOW NORMAL RANGE. THERE WERE NO CHIPS DETECTED OR TEMP RISE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS INDICATION. SYS NR 2 PRESS REMAINED WITHIN NORMAL LIMITS. THE FLIGHT WAS ABORTED & CONTINUED TO THEIR BASE OF OPERATIONS, HELIPAD THAT WAS LESS THAT 1 NM AWAY. ACCOMPLISHED MIN POWER DESCENT & LANDING & EXECUTED NORMAL SHUTDOWN WITHOUT INCIDENT. POST FLIGHT INSPECTION DID NOT REVEAL ANY FLUID LOSS OR ABNORMALITIES EVIDENT ON THE PILOT POST FLIGHT. TROUBLE SHOT THE PROBLEM & FOUND THAT THE TRANSMISSION OIL PRESS TRANSMITTER WAS BAD & REPLACED IT. THE ACFT WAS THEN RETURNED TO SERVICE.
DURING MECHANICS PREFLIGHT, AIRWORTHINESS CHECK, HORIZONTAL STABILIZER THROUGH BOLT FOUND BROKEN. R & R BOLT. INSPECTED BUSHING AND SURROUNDING AREA. NO DEFECTS NOTED. THIS ACFT HAS BEEN RETURNED TO SERVICE FOLLOWING THE INSTALLATION OF A REPLACEMENT SERVICEABLE NEW BOLT.
CREW MEMBER SMELLED FUEL. COULD SEE LIQUID ON THE RT REAR CLAM SHELL GLASS WINDOW. CONTINUED FLIGHT AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. AFTER LANDING, FOUND THE FUEL CAP SECURE, BUT FUEL ON NR 1 ENGINE DECK AND ON THE ACFT SKIN BELOW AND AFT OF THE ENGINE DECK. TROUBLESHOT AND FOUND FCU TO BE LEAKING BEYOND LIMITS. R & R FCU, RIGGED, AND PERFORMED MOC FLT AND FUNCTIONAL TEST FLT IAW MSM.
THE TRANSMISSION CHIP LIGHT ILLUMINATED IN CRUISE FLIGHT ON RETURN FLIGHT TO BASE. THE MECHANIC INSPECTED THE CHIP PLUGS AND FILTERS, AND FOUND A SMALL PARTICLE ON THE PLUG, AND FUZZ ON BOTH THE FILTER HOUSING AND THE FILTERS. THE MECHANIC PROCEEDED TO DRAIN THE OIL FROM THE MGB LOOKING FOR ANY OTHER PARTICLES. THERE WERE NONE FOUND. THE MECHANIC THEN RE-INSTALLED NEW FILTERS AND SERVICED THE OIL. HE THEN RETURNED THE AIRCRAFT TO SERVICE, AND SENT IN THE FILTERS AND OIL FOR ANALYSIS.
ON RETURN LEG, APPROX 8 MILES FROM BASE MED CREW NOTICED FUMES IN AFT CABIN AREA. FLT CONTINUED, ODOR DISSIPATED AND ACFT LANDED AT BASE IN APPROX 4 MINUTES. NO CHANGES IN GENERATOR LOADS OR OTHER INDICATIONS OF A PROBLEM WITH THE ACFT. UPON LANDING AT BASE, NOTED THE GREEN ECS ADVISORY LIGHT WAS NOT ILLUMINATED ON CAD. DURING MX TROUBLESHOOTING OF AIR CON SYSTEM, FOUND AIR CON CIRCUIT BREAKER TRIPPED. TRIPPED CIRCUIT BREAKER CAUSED "ECS" CAUTION LIGHT ON CAD TO EXTINGUISH. DURING NORMAL OPS WITH AIR CON ON, "ECS" LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED. INSPECTION REVEALED COMPRESSOR CLUTCH INOP. NO VISUAL INDICATION OF OVERHEATING, SUSPECT CLUTCH WAS CAUSE OF ODOR. R & R AIR CON COMPRESSOR CLUTCH ASSY WITH NEW.
DURING CRUISE FLIGHT ENROUTE TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL FOR A PATIENT PICK UP, THE MAIN TRANSMISSION CHIP LIGHT ILLUMINATED. PERFORMED THE EMERGENCY PROCEDURE IAW THE AIRCRAFT CHECK LIST AND LANDED AT THE NEAREST AIRPORT WITHOUT INCIDENT. CREW WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL BY LOCAL EMS AND THE PROGRAM DISPATCHED ONE OF ITS OTHER AIRCRAFT TO COMPLETE THE MISSION. MECHANIC CLEANED AND INSPECTED THE MAIN TRANSMISSION CHIP PLUGS, CLEANED AND INSPECTED THE MAIN TRANSMISSION OIL FILTERS, DRAINED AND FLUSHED THE MAIN TRANSMISSION. GROUND RUN UP AND 30 MINUTE FLIGHT CHECK WERE COMPLETED BEFORE AIRCRAFT WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE.