N189AM
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.
7 reports on file, 2016-12-31 – 2025-10-08.
Part: ENGINE — MAKING METAL · airframe 6,767 hrs · 14,559 cycles
ENGINE CHIP LIGHT ILLUMINATED IN FLIGHT. UPON INSPECTION, ENGINE WAS FOUND TO BE MAKING METAL. AIRCRAFT CURRENTLY OOS,
Part: MOUNT — DELAMINATED (TRANSMISSION) · airframe 6,250 hrs · 15,171 cycles
PILOT REPORTED AN UNUSUAL VIBRATION IN FLIGHT. AFTER INSPECTING TRANSMISSION CORNER MOUNTS WE FOUND THAT THE LH CORNER MOUNTS WERE DELAMINATING/SEPARATING. WE JUST INSTALLED THESE CORNER MOUNTS ON 10/11/25 AND SHOULDN'T HAVE FAILED ALREADY.
Part: BLOWER MOTOR — FAILED (ECS) · airframe 5,966 hrs · 14,437 cycles
BURNING SMELL IN AFT CABIN WITH AIR CONDITIONING ON.
Part: ENGINE — OVERTEMP · airframe 5,799 hrs · 14,051 cycles
FLOAT PILOT OVER TEMP THE MGT IN FLIGHT. MGT EXCEEDANCE OF 741 FOR 3 SECONDS. PERFORMED SPECIAL INSPECTION OF TURBINE AND FIRST STAGE TURBINE WHEEL, TURBINE NOZZLE AND SHIELD. NO DEFECTS NOTED. REASSEMBLED TURBINE, OPS CHECK GOOD.
Part: BLADE — BROKEN (CONDENSER BLOWER) · airframe 3,018 hrs · 7,053 cycles
PILOT REPORTED THAT VIBRATIONS AND GRINDING NOISES WERE FELT IN FLIGHT WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER RUNNING. FOUND THE CONDENSER FAN BLADE HUB BROKEN AWAY FROM THE REST OF THE BLADE ASSEMBLY. IT WAS GRINDING ITSELF UP WHEN RUNNING. INSPECTED T/R DRIVE SYSTEM, TO INCLUDE THE A/C COMPRESSOR & DRIVE, AND FOUND NO PROBLEMS. GROUND RAN THE AIRCRAFT AND ISOLATED THE VIBRATION TO THIS FAN. PULLED AND SECURED AIR CONDITIONER CIRCUIT BREAKER AND DEFERRED THE AIR CONDITIONER PER THE AIR METHODS' BELL HELICOPTER 407 SERIES MEL.
Part: REGULATOR VALVE — UNSERVICEABLE (OIL SYSTEM) · airframe 2,116 hrs · 5,141 cycles
ENGINE OIL TEMPERATURE CLIMBED TO 120 DEGREES C FOR UP TO 20 MINUTES IN FLIGHT. PERFORMED FUNCTIONAL CHECKS OF ENGINE OIL TEMPERATURE INDICATION SYSTEM AND TEMP BULB. BOTH FUNCTION PROPERLY PERFORMED TEMPERATURE REGULATING VALVE FUNCTIONAL TEST. VALVE FAILED TO CLOSE AND DETERMINED TO BE UNSERVICEABLE.
airframe 1,506 hrs
ON RETURN FROM RECEIVING HOSPITAL TO BASE, DETECTED SULFUROUS FUMES. NO SECONDARY INDICATIONS. LANDED AT OUR BASE. NOTIFIED DISPATCH THAT OUR AIRCRAFT WAS OUT OF SERVICE AND CALLED OUR DUTY MECHANIC. INSPECTION OF AIRCRAFT REVEALED FUMES WERE COMING FROM LEAD ACID BATTERY IN NOSE COMPARTMENT OF AIRCRAFT. BATTERY WAS REPLACED, GROUND CHECKED, RETURNED TO SERVICE.