N490H
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
AS350 S/N 4539 NOTED CHAFING DAMAGE ON THE LH LATERAL BULKHEAD (X FRAME) ON THE INBOARD FACE AS SHOWN IN FIGURE 1. THE LH X-FRAME HAS ONE CHAFED AREA LOCATED ON ITS INBD BEADED FACE MEASURING APPROXIMATELY 0.90â LONG AND 0.30â WIDE WITH A MAX DEPTH OF 0.024â
THE TRANSMISSION SUPPORT FRAME (PN 350A21-1041-143) HAS CHAFING DAMAGE ON THE LOWER FLANGE FROM AN UNSECURED CABLE.
TAIL GEARBOX MOUNTING PLATE CHAFE DAMAGE.
PILOT REPORTED SMOKE SMELL IN CABIN, TURNED OFF THE A/C SYSTEM AND SMELL WENT AWAY. LANDED AT BASE WITH NO FURTHER ISSUES. MECHANIC ON SITE FOUND WHERE A/C COMPRESSOR CLUTCH WAS INOP.
FOUND THAT THE RTV USED ON A RECENTLY INSTALLED LIGHT WAS EMITTING A SMELL FROM THE OVERHEAD CABIN LIGHTS. APPLIED 10 DAY MEL TO THOSE LIGHTS IN ORDER TO ORDER A SEALANT THAT IS MORE SUITABLE (HIGHER TEMP),AND PULLED CIRCUIT BREAKER TO THESE LIGHTS. THE TEMPERATURE OF THESE LIGHTS WAS COMPLETELY RESEARCHED TO FIND THIS IS NORMAL OPERATION.
AC 4539 HAS CHAFFING ON THE RT BATTERY TRAY SUPPORT AND ON THE INTERNAL SIDE OF THE TAIL BOOM SKIN. DAMAGE BEING OVER 12 INCHES LONG WITH A MAX DEPTH OF .020 . DAMAGE BEING LOCATED AT APPROXIMATELY BS 7948, BL 190R, AND WL 2039. IT HAS A MAX DEPTH OF .010 IN AND AREA 2.5 LONG BY .65.
PILOT REPORTED A BURNT SMELL IN THE CABIN UPON APPROACH AND NOTICED THE CLOCK LIGHT HAD GONE OUT. UPON ARRIVAL AT THE AIRCRAFT, THE MECHANIC PERFORMED A VISUAL INSPECTION OF ALL WIRING BEHIND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, AND ALL WIRING LOOKED TO BE IN A SERVICABLE CONDITON. HE THEN HAD THE PILOT PERFORM A GROUND RUN AND CONFIGURED THE AIRCRAFT AS IT WAS DURING FLIGHT TO TRY AND DUPLICATE THE DISCREPANCY. AGAIN THERE WERE NO DEFECTS NOTED. THE BURNT SMELL WAS ATTRIBUTED TO THE INTERNAL CLOCK LIGHTING BULB BURNING OUT ON APPROACH. THIS SYSTEM HAS SINCE BEEN DEFERRED, AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS PLACED BACK INTO SERVICE.
DURING A ROUTINE 600 HR ENGINE INSPECTION, IT WAS NOTED THAT THE ENGINE INTERNAL OIL FILTER WAS MISSING. DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE WAS OPERATED FOR THE LAST 600 HRS WITHOUT A FILTER ELEMENT INSTALLED. A NEW FILTER ELEMENT WAS INSTALLED AND THE OIL SYS WAS FLUSHED AND SERVICED. PULLED AN OIL SAMPLE BEFORE DRAINING THE SYS AND SEND IT FOR EVALUATION. EVALUATION WAS RETURNED WITH ALL NORMAL WEAR INDICATED.
WHILE TRANSITIONING OVER AIRPORT, TAIL ROTOR GEAR BOX CHIP LIGHT ILLUMINATED. DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND LANDED. ON FINAL, CHIP LIGHT EXTINGUISHED. LANDING WAS WITH OUT INCIDENT. FELT NO UNUSUAL PRESSURE OR VIBRATION IN THE CONTROLS. MECHANIC FOUND AN INSIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF METAL SHAVINGS ON THE CHIP DETECTOR WHEN IT WAS INSPECTED. FLUSHED THE GEARBOX, PERFORMED THE REQUIRED HOVER CHECK AND RETURNED TO SERVICE.
PILOT EXPERIENCED A BINDING OR HARD POINT PREVENTING CYCLIC TRAVEL IN THE AFT LT QUADRANT OF TRAVEL DURING HOVER TAXI/FWD FLIGHT IN GROUND EFFECT. THE PILOT PERFORMED A RUN ON LANDING. THE PILOT SELECTED IDLE AND PERFORMED A CONTROL FREEDOM CHECK WITH CYCLIC FRICTION REMOVED AND THE SYMPTOMS WERE STILL PRESENT. NO "SERVO" LIGHT, HYD LIGHT OR ANY OTHER SECONDARY INDICATIONS WERE PRESENT. IN COLLABORATION WITH MFG TECH SUPPORT, DISCONNECTED THE INPUT RODS AT THE SERVO CONTROLS OF THE MAIN ROTOR, CLEANED CYCLIC FRICTION CUP, INSPECTED CONTROL RODS OF CYCLIC AND COLLECTIVE FROM CONTROLS TO SERVOS FOR ANY BINDING, VISUALLY AND BY FEEL. RECONNECTED RODS TO MAIN ROTOR SERVOS. NO MECHANICAL BINDING WAS FOUND. VISUALLY INSPECTED SWASH PLATE, MAST TAPE AND SURROUNDING AREAS FOR ANY SIGNS OF BINDING, NONE NOTED. PERFORMED GROUND RUN FOR OPS CHECK OF MAIN ROTOR CONTROLS. OPS CHECK WAS GOOD. PERFORMED FLIGHT CONTROL CHECK FOR CONTINUED SERVICE ALL FLIGHT CONTROLS OPERATED NORMAL NO SIGNS OF ANY BINDING OR RESTRICTION OF MOTION. SUSPECT DIRTY SWASHPLATE FRICTION CUPS AS THE CULPRIT FOR UNUSUAL CONTROL FEEL.