N551AM
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 FLIGHT, PPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES FROM DESTINATION HEARD A POP ON THE LT SIDE OF THE ACFT. OPERATIONS SEEMED NORMAL. ON LANDING, THERE WAS A FAINT RUBBER BURNING ODOR NOTED IN THE AIRCRAFT. DID A NORMAL SHUTDOWN, INSPECTED THE ACFT AND FOUND NOTHING UNUSUAL. MECHANIC INSPECTED AND PERFORMED A TEST FLIGHT, COULD NOT REPLICATE. RETURNED TO BASE WITH NO PROBLEMS. INSPECTED THE ACFT FOR THE "POP NOISE" ON LT SIDE OF ACFT AND FOUND NO DAMAGE. INSPECTED ALL ACFT FOR ANY DAMAGE. NONE FOUND, INSPECTED AC BELT AND COMPRESSOR AND NO DEFECTS NOTED, COMPLIED WITH A FLIGHT CHECK TO TRY TO DUPLICATE ODOR AND NO DEFECTS NOTED. RETURNED ACFT TO SERVICE.
WHEN THE INSTRUMENT LIGHTS WERE TURNED ON SPARKS EMINATED FROM BEHIND AND BELOW THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, LANDED ON THE PILOT'S FEET AND IMMEDIATELY EXTINGUISHED. MECHANIC ADDED. INSPECTED AREA INDICATED BY PILOT FOUND WIRE FROM NVIS GOOSE NECK LIGHT CHAFED AND ARCING ON EDGE OF INSTRUMENT PANEL. PREFORMED SOLDER SPLICE REPAIR TO CHAFED WIRE AND PROTECTED WITH HEATSHRINK.
TAIL ROTOR PITCH CHANGE HORN CRACKED: VISIBLE FROM THE OTBD FACE OF THE TAIL ROTOR PITCH CHANGE HORN, RUNNING TANGENT FROM THE BOLT HOLE, ALONG THE EDGE THICKNESS, TO THE EDGE OF THE CONICAL INSERT ON THE INBD FACE. WITH THE ROTOR BRAKE SET AND APPLYING FORCE THROUGH THE TAIL ROTOR ASSY IN VARIOUS DIRECTIONS, I COULD SEE THE CRACK OPEN UP SLIGHTLY AND INSERT A .002" FEELER GAUGE. AFTER REMOVING THE TAIL ROTOR BLADE, I NOTICED THE END OF THE INSERT WAS NOT FLUSH WITH THE OTBD FACE OF THE PITCH CHANGE HORN. THE INSERT WAS NOT LOOSE IN THE HOLE AND APPEARS SEATED AGAINST THE INBD FACE.
WHILE DISASSEMBLING ENGINE TO PERFORM MODIFICATION TU 166 FOUND THE POWER TURBINE NOZZLE GUIDE VANE CRACKED. MODULE 3 MUST BE RETURNED TO MFG FOR REPAIR.
ENGINE INLET FILTER OVER SERVICED, EXCESS OIL ACCUMUATED IN INLET TO ENGINE AND SMOKED WHEN OPERATING TEMPS IN ENGINE BECAME HOT.
PILOTS COMPLAINT OF RT ANTI-ICE HOT MESSAGE WHEN SYSTEM TURNED ON. VERIFIED SENSOR AND LOGIC CARD OPERATION OK. REMOVED RT LEADING EDGE AND FOUND MAIN TUBE HAD BURST WITH A 2.5 X .375 INCH HOLE, BLOWING AWAY INSULATION AROUND ASSEMBLY. THIS WAS JUST INBOARD OF THE SLAT ANTI-ICE VALVE. TUBE ASSEMBLY TO BE RETURNED TO MFG FOR EVALUATION. NEW ASSEMBLY INSTALLED.
CREW RECEIVED ENGINE CHIP-L CAS MESSAGE. AIRCRAFT LANDED AT DESTINATION. MAGNETIC INDICATOR PLUG INSPECTED AND SINGLE SLIVER FOUND. 3RD INCIDENT OF THIS NATURE ON THIS ENGINE. ANALYSIS BY ROLL-ROYCE ON 2ND INCIDENT SLIVER SHOWED STAINLESS 410 ALLOY. FOUND WAVE SPRING AND MAGNETIC SEAL BADLY WORN.
LEADING EDGES REMOVED FOR INSPECTION IT WAS DISCOVERED THE BLEED AIR TUBE IN BOTH SIDES, P/N UNAVAILABLE, HAD MIGRATED OUTBOARD. THE RETAINING SHEET METAL DIFFUSER WAS GOUGING INTO THE WELDED -T-.
DURING INSPECTION AND PERFORMANCE, BEARING ROD END LUBRICATION, P/N 676033215 TIE ROD, INTERCONNECTING THE TWO OUTBOARD ELEVATOR BELLCRANKS, WAS FOUND TIGHT AND NOT ABLE TO ROTATE SLIGHTLY ABOUT ITS LONGITUDINAL AXIS. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE ROD ENDS, WHICH ARE RIVETED TO THE MAIN TUBE AND NOT ADJUSTABLE, WERE MISALIGNED WITH EACH OTHER---NOT IN THE SAME PLANE. WHEN ATTACHED TO THE BELLCRANKS, THE ROD ENDS WERE PINCHED AGAINST THE BELLCRANK EARS INSTEAD OF JUST THE SPHERICAL BEARING. NO DAMAGE WAS NOTED ON THE BELLCRANK EARS, HOWEVER, FUTURE PROBLEMS MIGHT ARISE AS THE TIE ROD AND OTHER PUSHROD AND BUNGEE ROD ENDS IN THIS SYSTEM ARE SUBJECT TO ROD END BEARING CORROSION. TIE ROD WAS REPLACED WITH NEW PART W