N404LL
Registered owner: ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOLDINGS 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 |
| AIR METHODS LLC (QMLA) | Operator | 2025-12-15 – 2025-12-15 | Operator named in NTSB report |
Accident & incident history
Maintenance disclosures
LANDING AT THE HOSPITAL IN LAS VEGAS AND AFTER DROPPING OFF THE PATIENT, THE CREW INFORMED ME THERE WAS A FUEL ODOR IN THE CABIN. I WROTE UP THE DISCREPANCY AND INFORMED THE MAINTENANCE TEAM. AMT INSPECTED AIRCRAFT NO ISSUES FOUND, RTS.
AFTER STARTING ENGINE A STRONG SMELL OF SULFUR WAS DETECTED IN COCKPIT. PILOT INSTRUCTED CLINICIAN TO GO OUTSIDE AND VERIFY ANY ODORS FROM AIRCRAFT HE REPORTED ROTTEN EGGS SMELL. PILOT IMMEDIATELY SHUT DOWN AIRCRAFT. START PROCEDURES APPEARED NORMAL VDC DROPPED TO 18 THEN RECOVERED AND AFTER GENERATOR WAS PLACED ON LINE 28.5 VOLTS WITH 100 AMPS AND DECLINING.
PILOT REPORTED FUEL ODOR IN COCKPIT/CABIN. I INSPECTED ALL FUEL LINES AND FITTINGS IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT NO DEFECTS NOTED. INSPECTED FUEL SUMPS AND CAVITY DRAINS NO DEFECTS NOTED. INSPECTED AFT COMPARTMENT ( BAGGAGE AREA SIDE WALL PANEL ) AND AFT AVIONICS BAY. NO DEFECTS NOTED. FLEW AIRCRAFT FOR 1 HOUR WITH NO ODORS DETECTED. I SUSPECT THAT PILOT FUELED AIRCRAFT AND SPILLED FUEL WHEN REFUELING POSSIBLY ON SHOES/FLIGHT SUIT CAUSING ODOR. AC WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE WITH NO OTHER REPORTED FUEL SMELL AFTER 16 HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME SINCE INCIDENT.
FLIGHT CREW REPORTED FUEL ODOR IN REAR CABIN. I INSPECTED FUEL BOOST PUMP COVERS AND CAVITY DRAINS NO LEAKS NOTED. INSPECTED ALL FUEL LINES INCLUDING VENT LINES IN AFT BAGGAGE AREA LO LEAKS OR DEFECTS NOTED. HAD PILOT RUN ENGINE AT 100% AND INSPECTED ALL FUEL LINES IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT NO LEAKS OR DEFECTS NOTED. FLEW WITH CREW AND MYSELF FOR 1 HOUR AND POSSIBLE FUEL SMELL NOTED ON LIFT OFF AND DURING BANK TURN. TOUCHED DOWN IN NEEDLES, CALIFORNIA AND INSPECTED BOOST PUMP COVERS AND ENGINE COMPARTMENT, NO LEAKS OR DEFECTS NOTE. RETURNED TO BASE IN KINGMAN, ARIZONA. SUSPECTED FUEL CAP AS ANOTHER TECH REPORTED FUEL CAP ISSUE. CAP WAS SECURE AND CLEANED SEAL WITH ALCHOHOL, AS SEAL WAS NOTED TO HAVE A DISCOLORATION. RETURNED AIRCRAT TO SERVICE AND AFTER SEVERAL FLIGHTS NO REPORTS OF ANY FUEL SMELL.
DURING FLIGHT FULL COMM FAILURE. PILOT WAS APPROACHING CLASS B AIRSPACE WITH PATIENT ONBOARD. HE MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AT KBVU AND CALLED FOR RESCUE HELICOPTER TO TRANSPORT PATIENT. TROUBLESHOT SYSTEM FOUND CONNECTOR HAD SPUN AND BROKE 1 CONNECTION ON BACK OF JACK. RESOLDERED AND OPS CHECKED GOOD AIRCRAFT WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE
FUEL SMELL IN CABIN DURING CLIMB PHASE OF FLIGHT. FUEL CAP WAS FOUND TO BE LEAKING FUEL. NEW FUEL CAP PN 206-362-002-103 IS BEING INSTALLED.
ON TAKEOFF FROM THE AIRPORT THE PILOT HAD THE MAIN ROTOR GEARBOX CHIP INDICATION ILLUMINATE. THE PILOT LANDED BACK AT THE HANGAR, LESS THAN ONE MINUTE OF FLIGHT PUT ON THE AIRCRAFT. MECHANIC REMOVED CHIP DETECTOR AND FOUND APPROXIMATELY 20 METAL CHIPS ON DETECTOR. THIS AIRCRAFT REMAINS OUT OF SERVICE AT THIS TIME FOR MGB REPLACEMENT.
DURING INSPECTION OF THE CABIN STRUCTURE, FOUND CRACKS IN THE ANGLE BRACKETS THAT TIE THE AFT CABIN BULKHEAD AT BS 146 TO RT & LT SIDES OF ROOF BEAM.
PARAMEDIC ADVISED STRANGE BURNING ODOR WITH FUMES AND POSSIBLE SMOKE IN CABIN. TURNED OFF THE AIR CONDITIONER AND VENTED THE COCKPIT AND CABIN WHICH REMEDIED THE SITUATION. FOUND PRESSURE SWITCH BLOWN APART IN PIECES, RELEASING ALL OF THE FREON FROM THE SYSTEM. THE RESULTING FREON OIL MIXTURE WOULD EXPLAIN THE SMELL AND HAZE REPORTED IN THE AFT CABIN. SYSTEM WAS DEACTIVATED, SECURED, AND DEFERRED UNDER THE MEL UNTIL PARTS AND TOOLS FOR REPAIR ARE RECEIVED.
DURING ACFT AIRWORTHINESS CHECK, A 3/8 INCH CRACK WAS NOTED ON THE RT SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPRESSOR ASSEMBLY IN THE COMPRESSOR HOUSING.
THE MECHANIC FOUND DURING A ROUTINE INSPECTION, A LARGE AMOUNT OF METAL ON THE TRANSMISSION CHIP DETECTOR. THE ACFT WAS PULLED FROM SERVICE. THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE CHIP EVENTS FOR THIS TRANSMISSION LEADING UP TO THIS CURRENT EVENT. THIS ACFT IS CURRENTLY OUT OF SERVICE AWAITING A TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT.
UPON TAKEOFF, PILOT AND FLIGHT NURSE DETECTED PRESENCE OF FUMES IN THE ACFT. ABORTED TAKEOFF AND SPENT A FEW MOMENTS TRYING TO ASCERTAIN THE SOURCE. THE UNPLEASANT ODOR HAD DISAPPATED AND A SOURCE COULD NOT BE FOUND. RECALLED THAT THE DAY PILOT MENTIONED THE MECHANIC HAD LUBRICATED THE HEATER VENT OUTLETS WHICH EXPLAINED THE BRIEF PERIOD OF ODOR IN THE ACFT. AFTER CONSULTING WITH MECHANIC AND PAM, CONTINUED WITH THE MISSION.