N270SL
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 A PREFLIGHT, A CRACK WAS NOTICED NEAR UPPER LEFT CORNER OF TAIL ROTOR GEARBOX MOUNTING PAD. INVESTIGATED A POSSIBLE CRACK AND CLEANED AREA OF PAINT. INSPECTED THE UNDERSIDE OF THE MOUNTING PAD. AFTER CLEANING AND REMOVING PAINT A LARGE NOTICEABLE CRACK WAS DISCOVERED ON UPPER HALF OF THE DOUBLER AND FITTING FOR THE T/R GEARBOX MOUNTING PAD.
WHILE COMPLETING THE A 2710 1800 HOUR INSPECTION, THE CABIN OVERHEAD CROSS FRAMES, BOTH WERE FOUND CRACKED ON THE LEFT SIDE END FLANGE AREA. THE FWD FRAME FOUND CRACKED IN THE LOWER ATTACH FLANGE BEND RADII AND THE AFT FRAME FLANGE FOUND CRACKED AT THE LOWER FLANGE ATTACH RIVET AREA.
THIS AIRCRAFT REMAINS OUT OF SERVICE AT THE TIME OF THIS SUBMISSION. THE AFT VERTICAL FIN SPAR WAS CLEANED TO PERFORM AD 1998-24-13. THE FOLLOWING DAY A VERY SMALL SPOT OF OIL WAS NOTICED ON THE SPAR BELOW THE LEFT SIDE OF THE T/R GEARBOX. THE GEARBOX WAS REMOVED FOR INSPECTION AND APP .375 LONG CRACK WAS DISCOVERED IN THE HOUSING CASTING BENEATH THE OUTPUT SIDE COVER ATTACH MOST FORWARD BOLT.
THIS AIRCRAFT REMAINS OUT OF SERVICE AT THE TIME OF THIS SUBMISSION. TOP FWD ECU MOUNT TOP FIVE RIVETS SHEARED AND GUSSET CRACKED. TOP AFT MOUNT AND GUSSET FOUND ATTACHED WITH 6/32 SCREWS AND NUTPLATES, RUBBER SHIMS FOUND UNDER THE MOUNT, AND TWO SCREWS SHEARED. BOTTOM AFT MOUNT FOUR RIVETS FOUND SHEARED BETWEEN THE GUSSET AND MOUNT.
CRACK IN THE INBOARD LEADING EDGE EROSION PROTECTIVE SHELL AT THE SPLICE JOINT, UNDER THE PU TAPE. THIS WAS FOUND DURING A SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE EVENT. THE AIRCRAFT REMAINS OUT OF SERVICE AT THE TIME OF THIS SUBMISSION AWAITING REPLACEMENT MAIN ROTOR BLADES.
STRONG FUEL ODOR IN CABIN AREA DURING FLIGHT. AFTER INVESTIGATION IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT FUEL REMNANTS WAS INSIDE THE AUXILIARY FUEL TANK, MAIN TANK VENT.
THE PILOT HAD JUST LIFTED OFF FROM BASE WITH A MEDICAL CREW ONBOARD FOR A SCENE CALL. A FEW MINUTES INTO FLIGHT THE MEDICAL CREW NOTED A STRONG FUEL ODOR CONSUMING THE CABIN. THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY ABORTED THE MISSION & RETURNED TO BASE. TROUBLE SHOT FUEL LEAK AS THERE WAS NOTICEABLE FUEL DRIPPING OUTSIDE OF THE AFT PORTION OF THE HELICOPTER. THIS ACFT REMAINS OUT OF SERVICE AT THE TIME OF THIS SUBMISSION FOR THIS EVENT.
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF HE SETTLED INTO CRUISE WHEN FLIGHT PARAMEDIC IN CABIN NOTICED AN UNUSUALLY STRONG ODOR, THOUGHT TO BE FUEL. THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY ABORTED FLIGHT, APPLIED THE INFLIGHT PROCEDURE FOR UNUSUAL SMELLS & LANDED BACK AT BASE. TROUBLE SHOT THE ODOR, THE CABIN FLOOR WAS REMOVED TO REVEAL A LOOSE FITTING ON THE FUEL TRANSFER LINE. THIS FITTING WAS TIGHTENED & THE ODOR DISSIPATED. THE ACFT WAS THEN RETURNED TO SERVICE WITH NO MORE UNUSUAL ODORS PRESENT.
FOUND 3 CRACKS (APPROX 1" EACH) IN SKIN OF TAILBOOM, WILL REMOVE AND REPLACE SKIN WITH NEW PART.
FOUND CRACKS IN THE FORWARD BOX BEAM OF THE FUSELAGE BODY STRUCTURES' RT SIDE PANEL ASSY. THERE ARE 2 CRACKS IN THE AFT WEB, ONE IN THE INBD WEB AND ONE IN THE ANGLE CONNECTING THE WEBS. CRACKS ARE IN THE AREA THAT MEDICAL SEAT MOUNTS ARE ATTACHED TO THE BOX BEAM. OPEN
PILOTS MASTER CAUTION LIGHT BARELY VISIBLE WHEN LIT. MAST MOMENT WARNING LIGHT IS BARELY VISIBLE WHEN LIT AND THE COLOT OF LIGHT HAS BEEN CHANGED FROM "RED" TO "GREEN". MASTER CAUTION PANEL "RED" WARNING LIGHTS ARE UNREADABLE. VS 800MHZ ANNUNCIATORS (PILOT AND COPILOT) 800MHZ IS NOT VISIBLE WHEN SELECTED AT EITHER LOCATION. ADI EMERGENCY BACKUP BATTERY INFORMATION ANNUNCIATOR IS UNREADABLE WHEN TESTED.