N766ME

EUROCOPTER DEUTSCHLAND GMBH MBB-BK 117 C-2 · 2005 · Rotorcraft · 2 engines · 8 seats · Valid Registration

Registered owner: AIR METHODS LLC, CO (owner ≠ operator)

Operators of this aircraft

Who operated this tail, and how firmly we know it.

OperatorRolePeriodBasis
Air Methods Corp. (QMLA)Certificate holderMatched by certificate designator

Accident & incident history

No NTSB accidents or incidents on file for this aircraft.

Maintenance disclosures

Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA for this airframe. Filing is largely voluntary — the number of reports is not a measure of reliability. To verify a report, search its control number at the FAA SDRS site.

12 reports on file, 2007-04-20 – 2026-01-28.

FALSE WARNING · 2026-01-28 Matched by certificate designator
ATA 3150

Part: WARNING MESSAGE — FALSE ACTIVATION (ZONE 200) · airframe 11,198 hrs · 34,864 cycles

NR 1 FUEL LOW WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED DURING CRUISE FLIGHT. TROUBLESHOT AND UNABLE TO DUPLICATE ISSUE.

Source: SDR QMLA2026020120009
SMOKE/FUMES/ODORS/SPARKS · 2023-04-04 Matched by certificate designator
ATA 2500

Part: MONITOR — UNKNOWN (BATTERY) · airframe 9,877 hrs · 30,274 cycles

WHILE ENROUTE ON A IFT TO PALM SPRINGS THE CREW BEGAN SMELLING "HOT ELECTRICAL" IN THE MAIN CABIN OF THE AIRCRAFT. I SECURED THE VENTILATION SYSTEM AND BEGAN TO SMELL THE HOT SMELL IN THE COCKPIT AS WELL. WE DECLARED AND EMERGENCY WITH AIRCOM AND SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS CENTER. AFTER LANDING AND SECURING THE AIRCRAFT THE MAINTENANCE TEAM ARRIVED AND DETERMINED THE CAUSE OF THE SMELL TO BE THE BATTERY ON THE ZOLL X SERIES.

Source: SDR QMLA2023040520026
F.O.D. · 2021-12-15 Matched by certificate designator
ATA 7200

Part: FITTING — NONE (MODULE 3) · airframe 9,222 hrs · 28,232 cycles

IN CRUISE FLIGHT LOSS OF ENG OIL PRESSURE FOR THE #2 ENG WAS INDICATED ON THE VEMD FLUCTUATING BETWEEN THE CAUTION AND LIMIT RANGE FOLLOWED BY A CAUTION ON THE CAD. I CALLED FOR THE EP CHECKLIST WHILE ESTABLISHING OEI. OEI WAS ESTABLISHED AND A RUN ON LANDING WAS PERFORMED TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT KCXO. POST FLIGHT NO OIL WAS FOUND IN THE #2 RESERVOIR SIGHT GAUGE

Source: SDR QMLA2021121720066
F.O.D. · 2021-12-15 Matched by certificate designator
ATA 7200

Part: FITTING — NONE (ON MOD 3) · airframe 9,222 hrs · 28,232 cycles

IN CRUISE FLIGHT LOSS OF ENG OIL PRESSURE FOR THE #2 ENG WAS INDICATED ON THE VEMD FLUCTUATING BETWEEN THE CAUTION AND LIMIT RANGE FOLLOWED BY A CAUTION ON THE CAD. I CALLED FOR THE EP CHECKLIST WHILE ESTABLISHING OEI. OEI WAS ESTABLISHED AND A RUN ON LANDING WAS PERFORMED TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT KCXO. POST FLIGHT NO OIL WAS FOUND IN THE #2 RESERVOIR SIGHT GAUGE, FOUND GRASS OBSTRUCTING THE P2 AIR UNION CAUSING THE ENGINE TO CONSUME ALL THE OIL

Source: SDR QMLA2022010320001
OTHER · 2021-08-12 Matched by certificate designator
ATA 5300

Part: SPAR — CHAFED (ZONE 300) · airframe 9,022 hrs · 27,574 cycles

DURING INSPECTION, FOUND DAMAGE TO THE VERTICAL FIN MAIN SPAR (PN: 117-30423.03) IN THE FORM OF CHAFING MEASURING APPROXIMATELY 0.25” DIAMETER AND 0.020” DEPTH ON THE OUTSIDE SURFACE OF THE LH FLANGE AT THE LOWER SECTION OF THE MAIN SPAR. THE DAMAGE WAS ADDRESSED BY BLENDING AND REINFORCEMENT OF THE AFFECTED STRUCTURE VIA REPAIR DOUBLERS IN ACCORDANCE WITH AIRBUS RDAS # RDAS-BK117-53-2021-3025, REVISION A DATED 08 JUL 2021.

Source: SDR 2A6R2021081261202
OTHER · 2021-08-12 Matched by certificate designator
ATA 5300

Part: FRAME — CHAFED (ZONE 200) · airframe 9,022 hrs · 27,574 cycles

DURING INSPECTION FOUND DAMAGE TO THE AFT BOX BEAM UPPER FRAME INSIDE SKIN (PN: B533K3606-205) IN THE FORM OF CHAFING MEASURING APPROXIMATELY 0.80” LONG AND 0.020” DEPTH IN TWO LOCATIONS. ADDITIONAL DAMAGE WAS ALSO NOTED TO THE AFT BOX BEAM LH FRAME INSIDE SKIN (PN: B533K5606-211) IN THE FORM OF A CHAFE AND DENT MEASURING APPROXIMATELY 1.0” X 0.75” AND DENT MEASURING 0.040” DEPTH. THE DAMAGE WAS ADDRESSED BY BLENDING AND REINFORCEMENT OF THE AFFECTED STRUCTURE VIA REPAIR DOUBLERS IN ACCORDANCE WITH AIRBUS RDAS # RDAS-BK117-53-2021-3080, REVISION A DATED 16 JUL 2021.

Source: SDR 2A6R2021081261201
SMOKE/FUMES/ODORS/SPARKS · 2017-10-25 Matched by certificate designator
ATA 2400

Part: UNKNOWN — SMOKE (C/B PANEL)

AFTER TURNING ON THE BATTERY SWITCH AND THE NVG LIGHT SWITCH, ROTATED THE RHEOSTAT KNOB TO INCREASE THE LIGHT INTENSITY . AT THAT POINT, NOTED AN ACRID ELECTRICAL ODOR AND VISIBLE SMOKE COMING FROM THE OVERHEAD CIRCUIT BREAKER PANEL.

Source: SDR QMLA2017102517114
WARNING INDICATION · 2017-09-27 Matched by certificate designator
ATA 7200

Part: ENGINE — MAKING METAL (NR 1) · airframe 7,036 hrs · 21,702 cycles

DURING ROC FLIGHT FOR MAX N1 (TOPPOING CHECK), AT 13,000 FEET, NR 1 ENGINE WAS IN THE IDLE POSITION, WHEN THE NR 2 ENGINE CHIP LIGHT ILLUMINATED CONSTANTLY. THREE ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO "BURN" THE CHIPS WITH NO SUCCESS. NR 1 ENGINE WAS MOVED TO THE FLIGHT POSITION AND A DESCENT WAS MADE BACK TO THE AIRFIELD. UPON REMOVING THE CHIP DETECTORS, ALL FOUR DETECTORS HAD SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF CHIPS ON THEM, WITH THE MODULE 5 DETECTOR HAVING THE MOST CHIPS AND FLAKES. UPON REMOVING THE NR 2 ENGINE OIL FILTER, THE FILTER WAS FULL OF CHIPS AND FLAKES. ALL INFORMATION WAS RELAYED, THE RECOMMENDATION WAS REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF ENGINE SINCE THIS WAS THE 3RD EVENT OF THIS TYPE IN LESS THAN 1 HOUR FLIGHT TIME.

Source: SDR QMLA2017092417097
OTHER · 2016-09-22 Matched by certificate designator
ATA 6520

Part: GEARBOX — CRACKED (TAIL ROTOR) · airframe 6,674 hrs · 20,508 cycles

DURING DAILY INSPECTION OF AIRCRAFT, MECHANIC FOUND HAIRLINE CRACK IN PAINT ON TAIL ROTOR GEARBOX. PAINT WAS REMOVED DYE PENETRANT INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED. CRACK WAS VERIFIED.

Source: SDR QMLA2016092216108
OTHER · 2016-07-22 Matched by certificate designator
ATA 2150

Part: COMPRESSOR — SEIZED (A/C PACK) · airframe 6,546 hrs

INGESTION OF AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR BELT AFTER IT CAME APART EITHER DURING FLIGHT OR UPON RTB LANDING. THE COMPRESSOR SEIZED AND BOTH IBF FILTER BYPASS DOORS WERE FOUND OPEN. THE IBF SYS SWITCH IN THE COCKPIT WAS IN THE OFF POSITION. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION DISCOVERED CHUNKS OF AIR CONDITIONING BELT STUCK TO THE NR 1 IBF BYPASS DOOR SCREEN AND ON THE IBF BYPASS DOOR. REMOVED FILTER AND DISCOVERED MORE RUBBER DOWN THE NR 1 ENGINE INTAKE. REMOVED NR 1 INTAKE AND DISCOVERED ALL EDGES OF THE COMPRESSOR BLADES ARE ROUGH AND SERRATED, BOTH VISUALLY AND TO THE TOUCH, SOME MORE THAN OTHERS. THE SPINNER CONE IS PEPPERED WITH RUBBER. THE BACK SIDES OF ALL BLADES HAVE RUBBER MARKS ON THEM. THE DIFFUSER VANES ALSO HAVE RUBBER MARKS ON THEM AS WELL.

Source: SDR QMLA2016072216084
INADEQUATE Q C · 2010-12-27 Matched by certificate designator
ATA 6320

Part: SLEEVE — MISSING (M/R TRANSMISSION) · airframe 3,587 hrs · 10,905 cycles

MAIN TRANSMISSION RECEIVED FROM MANUFACTURER (0 TSO). OPERATOR FOUND TWO BOLTS SAFETIED WITH ZERO TORQUE ON SWASH PLATE BALANCE WEIGHT. TORQUE RECOMMENDED 35.4 - 53.1 INCH POUNDS AS PER REM. BOTH OIL COOLER BLOWER FAN RETENTION NUTS FOUND SAFETIED WITH ZERO TORQUE APPLIED. TORQUE RECOMMENDED 425-513 INCH POUNDS AS PER AMM. AT INITIAL POST INSTALLATION GROUND RUN APPROXIMATELY 2 QUARTS OF OIL LEAKED FROM TAILROTOR OUTPUT FLANGE SEAL IN THE FIRST MINUTE OF OPERATION. AIRCRAFT WAS SHUT DOWN IMMEDIATELY .FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE TAIL ROTOR OUTPUT FLANGE CONNECTING PART DID NOT HAVE THE REQUIRED SEAL SLEEVE INSTALLED AT OVERHAUL. AFTER CONSULTATION WITH MANUFACTURER REPRESENTATIVES IT WAS DETERMINED THAT LOAD TESTING IS PERFORMED WITH A SLAVE TAIL ROTOR OUTPUT FLANGE INSTALLED. AFTER TESTING THE PRODUCTION FLANGE IS INSTALLED. APPARENTLY WHEN THE PRODUCTION FLANGE WAS INSTALLED AFTER LOAD CELL TESTING IT WAS INSTALLED WITHOUT THE SLEEVE THAT THE OUTPUT SEAL NORMALLY SEATS ON. SUBMITTER HAS BEEN ASSURED THAT THE MANUFACTURER IS CHANGING OVERHAUL PROCEDURES TO ENSURE THAT THIS DISCREPANCY DOES NOT OCCUR AGAIN. DISCREPANCIES WERE CORRECTED IAW MANUFACTURERS RECOMMENDATIONS.

Source: SDR E3MA20101227001
WARNING INDICATION · 2007-04-20 Matched by certificate designator
ATA 2820

Part: PUMP — MALFUNCTIONED (FUEL SYSTEM) · airframe 1,318 hrs · 4,740 cycles

NR 1 ENGINE PRIME PUMP CIRCUIT BREAKER POPS. REMOVED AND REPLACED NR 1 ENGINE PRIME PUMP. SYSTEM OPERATIONAL CHECKS GOOD.

Source: SDR BAQA200700012