N355AM
Registered owner: AIR METHODS LLC, CO (owner ≠ operator)
Operators of this aircraft
Who operated this tail, and how firmly we know it.
No operator established for this aircraft.
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.
5 reports on file, 2012-06-12 – 2017-03-03.
Part: GOVERNOR — OUT OF ADJUST (NR 1 ENGINE) · airframe 10,115 hrs · 34,860 cycles
AFTER TAKEOFF AND BEFORE REACHING CRUISE ALTITUDE, THE PILOT NOTICED THE ROTOR RPM AND ENGINE NR 1 N2 WERE ON THE HIGH SIDE (RED LINE) AND ENGINE NR 2 N2 WAS IN THE GREEN ARC. ATTEMPTED TO LOWER THE RPM'S BY USING THE BEEP TRIM SWITCH, BUT COULDN'T GET THE RPM'S TO LOWER. DEDUCED AT THIS TIME THAT THERE WAS A GOVERNOR PROBLEM WITH THE NR 1 ENGINE. ELECTED TO RETURN TO DEPARTURE. REDUCED THE NR 1 ENGINE THROTTLE BACK TO FLIGHT IDLE WHICH LOWERED THE RPM'S TO A MANAGEABLE LEVEL, AND PERFORMED A RUNNING LANDING AS PRESCRIBED IN THE FLIGHT MANUAL. THE MECHANIC TROUBLESHOT THE PROBLEM AND FOUND THE NR 1 GOVERNOR OUT OF ADJUSTMENT. ONCE THIS SYSTEM WAS ADJUSTED TO SPECS IAW MM 65-15 & 65-16, THE SYSTEM OPERATED WITH NO DEFECTS. THIS AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO SERVICE.
Part: WHEEL — SEIZED (CABIN) · airframe 9,806 hrs
AFTER COMPLETING PATIENT TRANSFER & APPROX 10 MINUTES FROM BASE, ACFT AC UNIT WAS TURNED ON. IMMEDIATELY A PECULIAR SMELL WAS NOTICED BY CREW, IN THE AFT CABIN. AC UNIT WAS TURNED OFF & THE SMELL STOPPED. LANDED AT BASE & NOTIFIED MECHANIC.
Part: FUEL CAP — MISINSTALLED · airframe 8,619 hrs · 28,992 cycles
SEVERAL MINUTES INTO CRUISE FLIGHT, THE MEDICAL CREW NOTICED THE STRONG SMELL OF FUEL IN THE CABIN. PILOT PERFORMED A PRECATIONARY LANDING AT THE NEAREST AIRPORT (2I3). A QUICK WALK AROUND THE HELICOPTER FOUND THE FUEL CAP WAS ON AND LATCHED, BUT NOT SECURED PROPPERLY, ALLOWING FUEL TO ESCAPE AN RUN UP THE REAR OF THE HELICOPTER. THIS CAUSED THE STRONG FUEL SMELL IN THE CABIN. THE PILOT REMOVED, INSPECTED, THEN CLOSED THE FUEL CAP CORRECTLY, LOGGED THE DISCREPANCY IN THE LOG BOOK, AND FLEW BACK TO HOME BASE WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE MECHANIC WAS ON THE FIELD, LOOKED AT THE HELICOPTER AND FOUND NO DISCREPANCIES WITH THE FUEL CAP.
Part: ENGINE — STALLED (NR 2) · airframe 8,419 hrs · 28,231 cycles
DURING RETURN LEG OF FLIGHT, ENGINES BEGAN TO SURGE AND OSCILLATE WHILE IN LEVEL CRUISE FLIGHT. CONTINUED BACK TO BASE FOR A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. WHILE IN HOVER TO HELIPAD AREA, ENGINE OSCILLATIONS INCREASED AND NR 2 ENGINE LOW AND MASTER CAUTION LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND NR 2 ENGINE COMPRESSOR STALLED. COMPRESSOR STALL EMERGENCY STEPS WERE COMPLETED AND LANDING WAS COMPLETED.
Part: FUEL CELL — LEAKING · airframe 8,318 hrs
DURING RETURN LEG OF FLIGHT TO BASE, DETECTED THE ODOR OF FUEL IN CABIN AREA. ON LANDING AT BASE, FOUND FUEL WETNESS AND DROPS ALONG BELLY PANEL, AFT OF THE AFT FUEL CELL AREA.