N766ME
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
NR 1 FUEL LOW WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED DURING CRUISE FLIGHT. TROUBLESHOT AND UNABLE TO DUPLICATE ISSUE.
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.
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
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
DURING INSPECTION FOUND DAMAGE TO THE AFT BOX BEAM UPPER FRAME INSIDE SKIN (PN: B533K3606-205) IN THE FORM OF CHAFING MEASURING APPROXIMATELY 0.80â LONG AND 0.020â 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 1.0â X 0.75â AND DENT MEASURING 0.040â 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.
DURING INSPECTION, FOUND DAMAGE TO THE VERTICAL FIN MAIN SPAR (PN: 117-30423.03) IN THE FORM OF CHAFING MEASURING APPROXIMATELY 0.25â DIAMETER AND 0.020â 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
NR 1 ENGINE PRIME PUMP CIRCUIT BREAKER POPS. REMOVED AND REPLACED NR 1 ENGINE PRIME PUMP. SYSTEM OPERATIONAL CHECKS GOOD.