N4204
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
Maintenance disclosures
UPON DEPARTING PRESCOTT (KPRC) FOR COTTONWOOD (P52), AIRCRAFT ENGINE OIL TEMPERATURE CLIMBED TO ABOVE LIMITS, (139+) DURING DEPARTURE FROM THE DOWNWIND. PILOT TURNED BACK TO THE AIRPORT, DECLARED AN EMERGENCY, AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT AT CUTTER AVIATION.
THE TAILBOOM FWD LOWER SKIN PANEL HAS DENT DAMAGE. THE DENT LOCATION IS JUST AFT OF THE AFT FUSELAGE JUNCTION FRAME AND IS APPROX. 1.5â IN DIAMETER.
PILOTS REPORT: AS THE AIRCRAFT APPROACHED THE SENDING HOSPITAL FOR PATIENT TRANSPORT, THE NURSE IN THE BACK DESCRIBED SMELLING AN ELECTRICAL BURNING TYPE ODOR. THE AIR CONDITIONING WAS IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF AND THE WINDOWS WERE OPENED TO VENTILATE THE CABIN. THE SMELL BEGAN TO DISSIPATE. ONCE SAFELY ON THE GROUND AT THE HOSPITAL, THE MECHANIC WAS CALLED TO TROUBLESHOOT. MECHANIC REPORT: THE MECHANIC IDENTIFIED THE BRUSHES IN THE AFT BLOWER MOTOR TO BE FAULTY, AND REPLACED WITH NEW. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY GROUND RAN TO VERIFY THE INTEGRITY OF THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM; ALL OPERATIONAL CHECKS WERE GOOD TO INCLUDE NO NOTICEABLE ODORS/SMELLS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE AT THAT TIME.
THE RADIOS & VEMD WENT OFF LINE & HE COULD SMELL SMOKE. REMOVED INSTRUMENT PANEL HOOD & INSPECTED THE WIRING FOR THE RADIOS & VEMD FOUND NO DISCREPANCIES. REMOVED THE 30 ALPHA PANEL & INSPECTED WIRING NO DISCREPANCIES. INSPECTED 31 ALPHA PANEL WHICH HOUSES THE CB`S OF THE EQUIP THAT WENT OFF LINE. PP5 & PP6 ARE THE BUSS BARS THAT FEED POWER TO THESE CB`S & FOUND NO DISCREPANCIES. GAINED ACCESS TO THE MASTER ELEC BOX IN THE AFT BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT & INSPECTED ALL COMPONENTS AS WELL AS CHECKING THE FUSES TO PP5 & PP6. ALL LOOKED NORMAL. INSPECTED THE ARMATURE & BRUSHES OF THE STARTER GEN & ALL LOOKED NORMAL. APPLIED POWER TO THE ACFT & CHECKED THE VOLTAGE AT PP6 & WAS ONLY GETTING 8 VDC THEN CHECKED VOLTAGE AT THE FUSE IN THE MASTER ELEC BOX & WAS ONLY GETTING 11 VDC. DETERMINED THAT A FAULTY BATTERY WITH LOW VOLTAGE IS THE CAUSE FOR THE RADIOS & VEMD GOING OFF LINE. THE FUEL BOOST WAS NOT FUNCTIONING WHICH IS SUPPLIED POWER FROM PP6. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED & ALL THE RADIOS, VEMD & FUEL BOOST PUMP WERE OPERATIONAL. THE VEMD SELF-TESTED NORMAL WITH NO GOV LIGHT ILLUMINATING. A GND RUN WAS PERFORMED WITH ALL SYS OPERATING NORMAL. THE STARTER GEN WAS SUPPLYING THE PROPER VOLTAGE TO THE SYS. IN CONCLUSION I COULD ONLY DETERMINE THAT THE SMELL EXPERIENCED BY THE CREW WAS A HOT SMELL COMING FROM THE VEMD WHICH HAD NO COOLING AT THE TIME.
AFTER AIRCRAFT START UP, THE PILOT REALIZED HE DID NOT HAVE HYDRAULIC POWER. THE AIRCRAFT WAS THEN SHUT DOWN. UPON INSPECTION OF THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM AND CONSULTATION WITH EUROCOPTER TECHNICAL REPRESENTATIVES, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE HYDRAULIC PUMP HAS FAILED. TECHNCIAN WAS ABLE TO PHYSICALLY ROTATE THE SPLINES ON THE HYDRAULIC PUMP. ACCORDING TO THE TECHNICAL REPRESENTATIVE, THIS SHOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE. THE HYDRAULIC PUMP WAS REPLACED AND AN OPERATIONAL GROUND RUN AND CHECK FLIGHT WERE CONDUCTED WITH NO FURTHER DISCREPANCIES.