N544AM

AIRBUS A350 No injuries Part 135 — Air Methods Corp.

Operated by AIR MEATHODS CORP (per NTSB report)

ATA 5310

Part: XMSN DECK — CHAFED (ZONE 200) · airframe 6,502 hrs · 19,556 cycles

CHAFING DAMAGE WAS DISCOVERED ON THE LH SIDE OF THE TRANSMISSION DECK. THE FIRST CHAFE AREA MEASURES APPROXIMATELY: 0.014" DEEP, 3/8" LONG AND 1/4" WIDE. THE SECOND CHAFE AREA MEASURES APPROXIMATELY 0.007” DEEP, 3/8” WIDE AND 2.5” LONG.

ATA 5310

Part: BEAM — DAMAGED (ZONE 200) · airframe 6,502 hrs · 19,556 cycles

TWO DAMAGES TO THE LH BEAM UNDER THE ENGINE DECK (P/N: 355A21-2110.25) AND REINFORCEMENT PLATES (P/N: 350A21-2110.26) IN THE FORM OF AN ELONGATED HOLE IN THE LOWER FLANGE NEAR THE AFT END OF THE PART, OVERSIZED HOLES IN THE BEAM WEB, AND A GOUGE IN THE OTBD REINFORCEMENT PLATE. THE ORIGINAL HOLE IS 1/8” DIAMETER, AND THE ELONGATED HOLE WAS MEASURED TO BE APPROXIMATELY 0.44” X 0.25”. THE OVERSIZED FASTENER HOLE DAMAGES MEASURED TO BE APPROXIMATELY 3/16” (0.1875”) WITH EDGE DISTANCE OF ¼” (0.25”) FOR 9EA FASTENER HOLES AND 5/16” (0.3125”) FOR 1EA FASTENER HOLE. THE GOUGE DAMAGE MEASURED TO BE APPROXIMATELY 0.25” X 0.1875” X 0.0625”.

ATA 5320

Part: SUPPORT BEAM — CHAFED (ZONE 200) · airframe 6,502 hrs · 19,556 cycles

DAMAGE TO THE ANCHOR SERVO CONTROL RH BEAM (PN: 350A23-4015.24) IN THE FORM OF A CHAFE LOCATED ON THE OUTSIDE SURFACE OF THE LOWER FLANGE BEND AT THE FWD END OF THE PART. THE CHAFE WAS MEASURED TO BE APPROXIMATELY 0.50” X 0.125” AND IS 0.014” DEEP. THERE IS ALSO CHAFING REPORTED IN THE LOWER EDGES OF 2EA OF THE PASS-THROUGH HOLES IN THE TAIL CONE JUNCTION FRAME REINFORCEMENT (PN: 350A21-1247.33). THE CHAFES WERE REPORTED TO BE 1/16” AND 1/32” DEEP INTO THE LOWER EDGES OF THE PASS-THROUGH HOLES.

ATA 2820

Part: FUEL FILTER — FAULTED (ENGINE) · airframe 5,070 hrs · 15,095 cycles

DURING PATIENT TRANSPORT THE "FUEL FILTER" CAUTION LIGHT ILLUMINATED INSIDE CLASS D. THE PILOT ANNOUNCED TO THE MED CREW THAT HE HAD A POTENTIALLY CRITICAL SITUATION AND WAS IMMEDIATELY EXECUTING A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. DECLARED AN EMERGENCY WITH TOWER. FLEW 1 MINUTE TO APPROACH END OF 21 AND ENTERED POWER ON AUTO ROTATION. NO NG OR ENGINE FLUCTUATIONS DETECTED. TERMINATED WITH POWER TO A HOVER. HOVER TAXIED TO CLOSEST RAMP AND SHUT DOWN. THE MECHANIC ARRIVED AND FOUND THE FUEL FILTER FAULTY. REPLACED THE FILTER AND RETURNED THE AIRCRAFT BACK TO SERVICE.

ATA 5311

Part: FRAME — CORRODED · corrosion level 2 · airframe 4,821 hrs · 14,147 cycles

DURING A HEAVY MAINTENANCE INSPECTION, DAMAGE WAS FOUND IN THE FORM OF CORROSION .005" DEEP PITTING TO THE OB FLANGE OF THE RH X FRAME. THIS AIRCRAFT REMAINS OOS WHILE THIS DAMAGE IS EVALUATED, AND REPAIRED.

ATA 7200

Part: ENGINE — MAKING METAL · airframe 3,615 hrs

PERFROMED SEVERAL GROUND RUNS ON THE ENGINE WHILE DOING THE TRACK AND BALANCE FOR THE T/R BLADE, SHORT SHAFT AND M/R. AFTER THESE CHECKS WERE DONE WE HAD PROBABLY 8+ GROUND RUNS ON THIS ENGINE. WE WENT TO FLY TO FINISH OUR TRACK AND BALANCE ALONG WITH THE ITEMS IN SECTION 8. OUR PILOT BROUGHT IT IN TO A HOVER AND WE STAYED AT THE RAMP WHILE HE WAS CHECKING THE CONTROLS AND WE WERE GETTING OUR READINGS WE NEEDED. THIS LASTED FOR ABOUT 10 MIN WHEN THE LIGHT STARTED TO LIGHTLY FLICKER. NOT LONG AFTER IT CAME ON AND WE LANDED. WE CHECKED ALL THE CHIP PLUGS AND FOUND A SMALL AMOUNT LEVEL A SMALL SILVER SLIVERS ON THE ELECTROMAGNETIC CHIP DETECTOR. CLEANED THEM UP, DRAINED THE OIL CLEANED EVERYTHING UP, INSTALLED A NEW FILTER AND RE-SERVICED THE ENGINE. TOOK THE AIRCRAFT OUT AND DID A GROUND RUN FOR ABOUT 7 MINUTES. CHECKED THE PLUGS, DRAINED AND SERVICED THE OIL AND FILTER. WENT FLYING STARTING IN A HOVER FOR 5 MIN THEN WENT OUT, DID 3 TRIPS WITH A TOTAL OF 30 MINUTES. ON THE 3 TRIP ON THE WAY BACK IN THE ENG CHIP LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. AFTER LANDING, CHECKED THE ELECTROMAGNETIC CHIP PLUG AND FOUND MORE METAL STILL LEVEL A WITH SMALL SLIVERS AND SOME SMALL SLIVERS ON THE CHIP PLUG AT THE OIL RESERVOIR.

ATA 2400

Part: PANEL — BURNED (COCKPIT) · airframe 3,478 hrs · 9,918 cycles

PILOT WAS PERFORMING GND RUN FOR ENG COMPRESSOR WASH, PILOT NOTICED SOME SMOKE FROM PEDESTAL SWITCH AREA & A BURNING SMELL, BLUE LIGHTS ON FUEL PUMP, TAXI & LANDING LIGHTS FLICKERED ACCORDING TO THE PILOT. ACFT WAS SHUT DOWN & DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY. REMOVED COVER FROM ALPHA 30 PANEL & NOTICED A MORE BURNED SMELL WHEN COVER WAS REMOVED. REMOVED PEDESTAL SWITCHES ONE AT A TIME & FOUND THE AVIONICS SWITCH BASE BURNED & 2 PINS APPEARED TO STAY IN THE CIRCUIT BOARD AS WELL WHEN THE SWITCH WAS REMOVED. THE CIRCUIT BOARD UNDER THE AVIONICS SWITCH BURNED AS WELL. REPLACED ALPHA 30 PANEL & AVIONICS SWITCH. POWERED UP ACFT & GND RUN PERFORMED NO DEFECTS NOTED.

ATA 3340

Part: POWER SUPPLY — BURNED (CARGO BAY) · airframe 3,282 hrs

DISCOVERED ODOR IN CABIN & LT AFT BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT DURING WALK AROUND AFTER SHUTDOWN.

ATA 7200

Part: ENGINE — MAKING METAL · airframe 2,671 hrs · 7,248 cycles

ENGINE WAS INSTALLED AT ACFT TT 2647+57 ENGINE TT 3996+36. THIS ENGINE WAS RECENTLY REPAIRED. FIRST CHIP EVENT AT ACFT TT 2660+27 ENG TT 3508+56 FOUND CAT.( A) DUST. PERFORMED DRAIN AND FLUSH OF OIL SYS WITH FILTER CHANGE AT FLUSH AND AGAIN AFTER 15 MINUTES GROUND RUN. MX PERFORMED. SECOND CHIP EVENTAT ACFT TT 2665+09 ENG TT 3514+08, FOUND DUST AND TWO FINE WIRE FILIMENT CHIPS SENT FOR ANALYSIS CAT.( A )CHIP EVENT OIL DRAIN AND FLUSH PERFORMED WITH FILTER CHANGE. MX PERFORMED. THIRD CHIP EVENT AT ACFT TT 2669+03 ENG 3518+02 CAT.( A) DUST N2 SENSORS PULLED AND INSPECTED ALONG WITH DRAIN AND FLUSH WITH FILTER CHANGE. ACFT REMOVED FROM SERVICE. RETURNED AIRCRAFT TO MX FACILITY, MX PERFORMED TWO HOUR FLIGHT, ON RETURN, CHECKED CHIP PLUGS AND FOUND CAT.( A) DUST. ENGINE REMOVED FROM SERVICE.

ATA 2612

Part: FIRE WARNING — FALSE ACTIVATION

SECOND OCCURRENCE OF A FALSE ENGINE FIRE WARNING ON THIS AIRCRAFT IN THE LAST THREE DAYS. ONE FLIGHT OCCURRED BETWEEN THE TWO INCIDENTS. ARRIVED AT HOSPITAL TO PICK UP PATIENT TO TRANSPORT TO ANOTHER HOSPITAL. WHEN THE TWIST GRIP WAS PLACED IN THE IDLE POSITION, THE (ENG FIRE) WARNING LIGHT ON THE CWP CAME ON. CREW MEMBERS WERE ASKED TO CONFIRM IF THERE WAS FIRE OR SMOKE. NONE WAS OBSERVED. SHUTDOWN THE ENGINE AND DID A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE AND ENGINE COMPARTMENT. NO EVIDENCE OF FIRE WAS APPARENT. CONTACTED DISPATCH AND ADVISED THE AIRCRAFT WAS OUT OF SERVICE. THE PILOT CONTACTED HIS SUPERVISOR AND THE BASE MECHANIC. THE BASE MECHANIC WAS TROUBLESHOOT THE WARNING AND THE MECHANICAL INSPECTION AGAIN REVEALED NO APPARENT PROBLEMS. THE WARNING LIGHT HAD EXTINGUISHED APPROXIMATELY TEN MINUTES AFTER SHUTDOWN. THE AIRCRAFT WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE AND FLOWN BACK TO BASE. ENGINE SHUTDOWN AT BASE WAS NORMAL WITH NO WARNING LIGHTS. FIRST ISDR ON THIS IS SUBMITTED AS UNIQUE CONTROL NR 420611092007

ATA 2612

Part: WARNING LIGHT — FALSE ACTIVATION (FIRE WARING)

PERFORMED AIRCRAFT STOPPING ENGINE ITEMS AS OUTLINED IN CHECK LIST. WHEN TWIST GRIP WAS PLACED IN THE IDLE POSITION, THE (ENG FIRE) WARNING LIGHT ON THE CWP CAME ON. CREW MEMBER OUTSIDE THE AIRCRAFT WAS ASKED IF SMOKE OR FLAMES WERE PRESENT. HE ADVISED THEY WERE NOT. SHUTDOWN THE ENGINE AND DID A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE AND ENGINE COMPARTMENT. NO EVIDENCE OF A FIRE WAS APPARENT. CONTACTED DISPATCH ADVISED THE AIRCRAFT WAS OUT OF SERVICE. THE MEDICAL CREW HAD NOT LOADED THE PATIENT ON THE AIRCRAFT. ANOTHER AIRCRAFT WAS DISPATCHED TO PERFORM THE PATIENT TRANSPORT. THE PILOT CONTACTED HIS SUPERVISOR AND THE BASE MECHANIC. THE BASE MECHANIC WAS DISPATCHED THE AIRCRAFT LOCATION. HE INSPECTED THE AIRCRAFT. PRIOR TO CONTACTING THE MECHANIC, THE PILOT HAD CYCLED THE BATTERY ON AND OFF SEVERAL TIMES TO SEE IF THE LIGHT WOULD GO OUT. IT DID NOT. PRIOR TO THE MECHANICS ARRIVAL THE PILOT CYCLED THE BATTERY ON ONCE MORE AND NOTED THE WARNING LIGHT WAS NOW OUT. THE MECHANICS INSPECTION FOUND NO DISCREPANCIES AND WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE AIRCRAFT WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE AND FLOWN BACK TO BASE.