N163BF
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 Corp. (QMLA) | Certificate holder | — | Matched by certificate designator |
Accident & incident history
No NTSB accidents or incidents on file for this aircraft.
Maintenance disclosures
Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA for this airframe. Filing is largely voluntary — the number of reports is not a measure of reliability. To verify a report, search its control number at the FAA SDRS site.
11 reports on file, 2011-03-29 – 2021-06-29.
Part: STIFFENER — CRACKED (ZONE 200) · airframe 5,422 hrs · 22,779 cycles
DURING 1000 HOUR INSPECTION, AFTER REMOVING THE MAIN GEARBOX FOR USE ON ANOTHER AIRCRAFT, MULTIPLE CRACKS WERE FOUND IN THE AREA OF FS 4505 - FS 4565. L/H AND R/H "A PROFILES FOUND CRACKED. STIFFENER OUTSIDE OF L/H "A PROFILE CRACKED. LONGERON 18CM TO LEFT OF CENTERLINE CRACKED. LONGERON 18CM TO RIGHT OF CENTERLINE CRACKED. TRANSMISSION DECK TOPSIDE DOUBLER CRACKED ON L/H AND R/H SIDE. TRANSMISSION DECK SKIN CRACKED ON L/H AND R/H SIDE.
Part: BULKHEAD — CORRODED (ZONE 100) · airframe 5,422 hrs · 22,779 cycles
DURING 1000 HOUR INSPECTION, FOUND CORROSION AT FS 3150 HAT CHANNELS & AROUND PREVIOUS REPAIR PATCH. PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED.
Part: KEELBEAM — CORRODED (ZONE 100) · airframe 5,422 hrs · 22,779 cycles
DURING 1000 HOUR INSPECTION, FOUND R/H KEEL BEAM UPPER ANGLE CORRODED UNDER NUTPLATE AT FWD END OF CABIN FLOOR.
Part: RIB — CORRODED (TAILBOOM) · airframe 5,422 hrs · 22,779 cycles
DURING 1000 HR INSPECTION FOUND VERTICAL STAB TOP RIB HAS EXFOLIATION CORROSION BEHIND SEVERAL NUTPLATES.
Part: SKIN — CORRODED (FUSELAGE) · airframe 5,422 hrs · 22,779 cycles
DURING 1000 HR INSPECTION, FOUND CORROSION AROUND AND UNDER DATA TAG. PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED ON FAA FORM 337 DATED 16 SEPTEMBER 2013.
Part: SKIN — CORRODED (FUSELAGE) · airframe 5,422 hrs · 22,779 cycles
DURING 1000 HR INSPECTION, FOUND CORROSION AROUND PREVIOUS REPAIRS ON L/H AND R/H MAINTENANCE STEPS. PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED ON FAA FORM 337 DATED 16 SEPTEMBER 2013.
Part: BATTERY BOX — SMOKE (BATTERY) · airframe 4,602 hrs · 19,185 cycles
UPON APPROACHING HOSPITAL, THE PILOT NOTICED A BATTERY DISCONNECT LIGHT ON THE CAD, AND AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME DETECTED AN ELECTRICAL TYPE ODOR IN THE AIRCRAFT. HE THEN TURNED OFF THE BATTERY AND WAS LESS THAN TWO MINUTES FROM THE HOSPITAL, AND CHOSE TO LAND IN THE GRASS ADJACENT TO THE HOSPITAL GROUND LEVEL PAD. UPON LANDING HE SHUT DOWN THE ENGINES AND EVERYONE EVACUATED THE AIRCRAFT. A WALK AROUND WAS COMPLETED AFTERWARDS, AND THERE WERE NO VISIBLE SIGNS OF FIRE. THE BATTERY WAS DISCONNECTED AT THAT TIME. MECHANIC - TROUBLESHOT DISCREPANCY. FOUND EVIDENCE OF INTERNAL BURNOUT OF BATTERY MASTER BOX. IT WAS REMOVED AND REPLACE WITH A SERVICEABLE UNIT. FUNCTION CHECK GOOD, AND THE AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO SERVICE AT THAT TIME.
Part: PINION — DAMAGED (TRANSMISSION) · airframe 3,414 hrs · 14,687 cycles
MAIN TRANSMISSION HAD STAGE 2 HIGH IRON INDICATION FROM OIL SAMPLE, REQUIRING INPUT DRIVE STAGE TOOTHING INSPECTION IAW ASB EC135-63A-012 WITHIN 25 FH. INSPECTION REVEALED PITTING IN BOTH INPUT PINIONS & BEVEL GEAR OF MAIN TRANSMISSION REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF TRANSMISSION. THIS ACFT IS CURRENTLY OUT OF SERVICE AWAITING THIS REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION.
Part: TAIL BOOM — CORRODED · corrosion level 2 · airframe 1,665 hrs · 8,002 cycles
DURING ROUTINE 800 HOUR/ 3 YEAR INSPECTION, FOUND EVIDENCE OF CORROSION BETWEEN TAIL ROTOR STATOR ARMS AND STATOR ATTACHMENT CUPS AT 5 LOCATIONS. REVEALED THIS CORROSION IS NOT REPAIRABLE AT FIELD LEVEL AND WAS DIRECTED TO SHIP TAILBOOM TO MFG FOR FURTHER EVALUATION AND REPAIR.
Part: NUT — BACKED OUT (M/R MAST) · airframe 1,203 hrs · 5,964 cycles
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: THE MECHANIC WAS COMPLYING WITH QAN 12-09 CONCERNING THE INTRODUCTION OF TECHNICAL FAX 09-006 REGARDING THE EC-135 ROTOR MAST NUT TORQUE CHECK. THE MECHANIC FOUND THAT THE MAST NUT BACKED OFF BY HAND WHEN INITIATING THE TORQUE CHECK. HE THEN TORQUED THE MAST NUT AND RETURNED THE ACFT TO SERVICE.
Part: NUT — BACKED OUT (M/R MAST) · airframe 1,203 hrs · 5,964 cycles
THE MECHANIC WAS COMPLYING WITH QAN 12-09 CONCERNING THE INTRODUCTION OF TECHNICAL FAX 09-006 REGARDING THE EC-135 ROTOR MAST NUT TORQUE CHECK. THE MECHANIC FOUND THAT THE MAST NUT BACKED OFF BY HAND WHEN INITIATING THE TORQUE CHECK. HE THEN TORQUED THE MAST NUT AND RETURNED THE ACFT TO SERVICE.