N408LN
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 LLC (QMLA) | Certificate holder | — | Matched by certificate designator |
Accident & incident history
No NTSB accidents or incidents on file for this aircraft.
Maintenance disclosures
DURING SCENE FLIGHT REQUEST AND ENROUTE TO SCENE, MEDICAL CREW NOTICED AND UNUSUALLY STRONG FUEL SMELL IN THE CABIN AREAS. THE PATIENT SCENE FLIGHT REQUEST CANCELED MOMENTS LATER FROM THE REQUESTERS END, AND WE RETURNED TO BASE (RTB). DURING RTB, THE SMELL SEEMED TO BE WORSE WHEN THE VENT BLOWER OR AIR CONDITIONER WAS ON, AND THE SMELL WAS NOTICEABLY STRONGER IN THE CABIN AREA THAN THE COCKPIT WHICH ONLY HAD A FAINT FUEL SMELL. THERE WERE NO UNUSUAL ENGINE INDICATION AND FUEL FLOW WAS IN THE NORMAL RANGE FOR STRAIGHT AND LEVEL FLIGHT. WHEN POWER WAS REDUCED AND WE WERE ON APPROACH FOR LANDING BACK AT OUR BASE, THE CREW DIDNT NOTICE THE SMELL AS MUCH. THE ENTIRE FLIGHT TIMES WAS ONLY 13 MINUTES, AND THE FUEL SMELL WASN'T PRESENT OR NOTICED UNTIL HALFWAY INTO THE FLIGHT.
TRANSMISSION CHIP LIGHT ILLUMINATED IN FLIGHT. FOUND INSIGNIFICANT DEBRIS, AS DEFIED IN BELL MM, CHAPTER 63.
AFTER ESTABLISHING CRUISE FLIGHT ON THE WAY TO A SCENE LOCATION AND NOT UTILIZING REMAINING POWER AVAILABLE PILOT PULLED MORE COLLECTIVE TO EXPEDITE EN-ROUTE TIME. ONCE REACHING APPROXIMATELY 85% TRQ, TRQ DROPPED WITHOUT PILOT MANIPULATION, OVERCORRECTED AND THEN SETTLED, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO YAW. HMU WAS TROUBLE SHOT AND FOUND TO BE FAULTY.
SAS FORCE TRIM SWITCH ENGAGES UNCOMMANDED. WHEN SAS IS ENGAGED VIA CONTROL PANEL THE FORCE TRIM RELEASE SWITCH WILL OVERRIDE THE FORCE TRIM UNCOMMANDED RESULTING IN UNCOMMANDED PITCH AND ROLL CHANGES WHEN THE CYCLIC IS NOT GUARDED OR HELD. WHEN SAS IS OFF, THE FORCE TRIM RELEASE SWITCH WILL ENGAGE THE SAS UNCOMMANDED, BY WAY OF FAILING TO THE CLOSED CIRCUIT POSITION, RESULTING IN CYCLIC FEEDBACK AND A FEELING SIMILAR TO BINDING IN THE CONTROLS.
CHIP LIGHT ILLUMINATED MOMENTARILY INFLIGHT, FLICKERED TWICE, G1000H RECORDED TWO EVENTS. DISCOVERED INSIGNIFICANT DEBRIS, IRREGULAR SHAPED FERROUS METAL PARTICLES ON TRANSMISSION LOWER CHIP DETECTOR. COMPLETED 15 MIN GND RUN WITH NO FURTHER INDICATIONS. WORK WAS ACCOMPLISHED IAW MM CH 63 PARA 63-14 TABLE 63-2. THE ACFT WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE.
LAUNCHING ON A SCENE FLIGHT, ON STARTUP THE LANDING LIGHT CB POPPED & WAS RESET ONCE. THE STARTUP WAS COMPLETED. AFTER TAKEOFF THE NURSE SMELLED A BURNT WIRE SMELL & THEN THE REST OF THE CREW CONFIRMED THE SMELL. THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO BASE APPROX 5 MINUTES INTO CRUISE FLIGHT WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE MECHANIC CHECKED THE ACFT & FOUND THE PATIENT OVERHEAD LIGHTING WOULD NOT COME ON & A BREAKER BEHIND THE LT CREW MEMBER WAS TRIPPED & WOULD NOT RESET WHICH IS ALSO THE AREA FROM WHICH THE SMELL WAS COMING. THE LIGHT WAS DEFERRED & COLLARED FROM MEL LIST BY THE MECHANIC & PUT BACK IN SERVICE. THE MECHANIC INSPECTED THE OVERHEAD CB PANEL & LANDING LIGHT INSTALLATIONS & FOUND THEM TO BE OPERATIONAL & AIRWORTHY. THE LIGHTING POWER SUPPLY LOCATED IN THE MEDICAL SERVICE MODULE WAS THEN FOUND TO BE BAD. IT HAS SINCE BEEN REPLACED & THE DEFERRAL CLEARED.
PATIENT ON BOARD, COMM 1 & COMM 2 FAIL SIMULTANEOUSLY. PILOT COMMUNICATES WITH TOWER VIA HOSPITAL FREQ ON TDFM & RECEIVES TRANSPONDER SQUAWK & APPROACH INSTRUCTIONS. AFTER SHUTDOWN, POWER IS REAPPLIED. COMM 1 REMAINS INOPERATIVE, COMM 2 IS OPERATIONAL. DEFERRED THE DISCREPANCY & RETURNED TO BASE. DURING MX ACTION THE FOLLOWING MORNING, BOTH COMM 1 & COMM 2 WERE OPERATIONAL WITH NO FAILURES SINCE. PRIOR TO THIS EVENT, COMM 1 HAD FAILED TWICE OVER THE COURSE OF APPROXIMATELY 2 MONTHS. EACH FAILURE WAS BRIEF & CORRECTED ITSELF. THE FAILURES WERE INDICATED BY A RED X THROUGH THE FREQUENCY WINDOWS ON THE MFD & PFD AS WELL AS A RED X IN THE SYS STATUS PAGE ON THE MFD.