N103VU
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
SMOKE STARTED FILLING THE CABIN IN FLIGHT A COUPLE MILES FROM OUR DESTINATION. INSPECTED, REMOVED PARTIALLY MELTED AIR CONDITIONER BELT FROM COMPRESSOR. DEFERRED AIR CONDITIONING.
DURING TAKEOFF, CREW IN REAR NOTED UNUSUAL ODOR. EXECUTED A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING TO THE HOSPITAL PAD WHICH WAS ADJACENT TO THE AIRCRAFT. THE ODOR WAS NOTED WITHIN 15 SECONDS OF LIFTING FROM THE PAD. ONCE LANDED, EXECUTED SHUTDOWN. AFTER SHUTDOWN IT WAS NOT DETERMINED WHERE THE ODOR WAS COMING FROM. MAINTANENCE WAS NOTIFED AT THIS TIME. ONCE MAINTANENCE ARRIVED A SMALL SCORCH MARK WAS NOTED ON AN OVERHEAD PANEL. AFTER REMOVAL IT WAS EVIDENT THAT WIRING ABOVE THE PANEL HAD SHORTED CAUSING THE ODOR.
AFTER TAKEOFF, THE TAIL ROTOR CHIP LIGHT ILLUMINATED, AND THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO CLEAR THE LIGHT. THE PILOT THEN DIVERTED AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY. BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT COULD REACH THE DIVERSION AIRPORT IT WAS DECIDED TO LAND IMMEDIATELY DUE TO PILOT FEELING VIBRATIONS COMING FROM TAIL ROTOR. THE LANDING WAS COMPLETED IMMEDIATELY.
PILOT REPORTED TAIL ROTOR GEARBOX CHIP DETECTOR ILLUMINATION. HE WAS ABLE TO USE THE FUZZ BURNER SUCCESSFULLY 2 TIMES. AFTER THE THIRD ATTEMPT HE WAS ON APPROACH. UPON MAINTENANCE INSPECTION OF THE TAIL ROTOR GEARBOX CHIP DETECTOR THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL AMOUNT OF FINE PASTE WITH VERY FINE SLIVERS OF METAL IN IT STARTING TO RESEMBLE ITEM G IN AMM 65-32-00, 6-1. THE GEARBOX WAS FLUSHED, FILLED, AND A PENALTY RUN COMPLETED WITH NO ADDITIONAL DISCREPANCIES. THE ACFT WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE AT THAT TIME.
DURING AN AAIP ZONE 10 INSPECTION, A CRACK WAS FOUND IN THE TAIL ROTOR GEARBOX ATTACH FITTING. CRACK IS LOCATED BELOW THE LT SIDE OF THE UPPER ATTACHMENT NUT FOR THE GEARBOX.
THE PILOT REPORTED AFTER LANDING, THE NURSE IN THE AFT CABIN STATED HE SMELLED GAS FUMES. AS THE CREW WAS EXITING THE ACFT, THEY VISUALLY CONFIRMED FUEL LEAKING FROM THE NR 1 ENGINE COWLING. THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY COMPLIED WITH AN EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN OF THE ENGINE. AFTER SHUTDOWN, THE PILOT OPENED UP THE NR 1 ENGINE COWLING AND NOTICED FUEL WAS LEAKING FROM THE MAIN FUEL FILTER BOWL. HE IMMEDIATELY CALLED FOR MX SUPPORT. THE MECHANIC INSPECTED THE ACFT. HE FOUND THAT THE O-RING ON THE NR 1 ENGINE FILTER BOWL HAD BEEN TORN. HE R & R THE O-RING, AND HAD THE PILOT PERFORM A GROUND RUN. NO LEAKS WERE NOTED AND THE ACFT WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE. ALL MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED IAW MM 73-12-00-900-801-A01.
DURING SEVERAL FLIGHTS ON OCTOBER 5, 2007 THE FLIGHT CREW NOTICED A BURNING ODOR IN THE AIRCRAFT BUT COULD NOT DETERMINE A SOURCE FOR THE ODOR. THE ODOR WAS THAT OF BURNING RUBBER AND ONLY OCCURRED DURING LANDING AS AIRCRAFT PASSED THROUGH ETL (EFFECTIVE TRANSLATIONAL LIFT), HOWEVER THE ODOR THE NOT OCCUR ON EACH LANDING. AFTER EACH LANDING THE AIRCRAFT WAS CHECKED WITH NO SOURCE OF THE ODOR BEING FOUND BUT IT WAS MORE PRONOUNCED IN THE BACK CABIN AREA. THE MECHANIC TODAY TOOK THE AIRCRAFT OUT OF SERVICE TO PERFORM MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTED THE AIRCRAFT TO TRY AND DETERMINE THE SOURCE OF THE BURNING ODOR. AFTER DROPPING THE PANELS FOR THE AFT AIR CONDITIONING IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE POWER WIRE FOR THE AFT CABIN CEILING LIGHT HAD CAME OFF AND HAD POSSIBLY CONTACTED THE WIRING FOR THE AFT BLOWER MOTOR. THE WIRING FOR THE BLOWER MOTOR HAD BEEN BURNED AWAY EXPOSING THE COPPER WIRING. THE BLOWER MOTOR CIRCUIT BREAKER WAS PULLED AND MEL'D. THE AIRCRAFT WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE.