N822MH

EUROCOPTER EC130 None injury Part 135 — Maverick Helicopter

ATA 5302

TAILBOOM SKIN CRACK WAS DISCOVERED DURING ROUTINE PERIODIC CLEANING AND INSPECTION FOLLOWING REMOVAL OF THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER DURING UNRELATED DEFECTIVE PART REPLACEMENT. THIS CRACK WAS CONCEALED BENEATH A TAIL CONE DOUBLER WHEN EXTERNALLY VIEWED BUT EASILY SEEN WITH THE STABILIZER REMOVED AND VISIBLE WITH SOME DIFFICULTY IF THE STABILIZER REMAINS INSTALLED. THIS PROBLEM IS KNOWN BY THE MFG WHO HAS PROVIDED A REPAIR SCHEME THAT IMPROVES THE TAIL CONE DOUBLER OVERLAP IN THIS AREA AND STOP DRILLS ANY CRACKS. A MAJOR REPAIR 337 IS SUBMITTED FOR THIS REPAIR AFTER COMPLETION.

ATA 7320

GOVENOR LIGHT ILLUMINATES INTERMITTENTLY WITH THIS EMERGENCY BACKUP CONTROL. ACTUATOR INSTALLED.

ATA 7261

ENGINE SMOKING FOLLOWING SHUTDOWN WAS THE OBSERVED SYMPTOM. CLOSER INSPECTION REVEALED TRACES OF OIL STREAKING FROM POWER TURBINE BLADE ROOTS. A SERVICEABLE LABYRINTH RING ASSEMBLY HAS BEEN INSTALLED. (K)

ATA 6310

FOUND LEAKING EXCESSIVELY BOTH STATICALLY AND IN OPERATION DURING ROUTINE INSPECTION. INSTALLED NEWLY OVERHAULED FREE WHEEL SHAFT ASSY WITH NO FURTHER LEAKAGE NOTED. TEAR DOWN OF REMOVED ASSY REVEALED SEAL LIP HAD BEEN DAMAGED DURING ASSY. AS THE SHAFT WAS REPORTED TO BE INSTALLED FOR TEST CELL ENGINE. RUNS IT SEEMS ODD THE LEAK WAS NOT DISCOVERED AT THE OVERHAUL FACILITY. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME A NEWLY OVERHAULED ENGINE WAS INSTALLED THAT HAD A DAMAGED SEAL WHEN RECEIVED FROM THE FACTORY. (K)

ATA 6320

OIL PRESSURE LIGHT ILLUMINATES AT GROUND IDLE. NEW SWITCH INSTALLED. NO FURTHER DEFECT NOTED. THIS SWITCH NORMALLY WORKS WELL BUT ON OCCASION LOSES INTERNAL CALIBRATION OR IS MISCALIBRATED AS NEW SWITCHES SOMETIMES EXHIBIT THE SAME PROBLEM. SUGGEST A MORE MODERN DESIGN BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS PART. (K)

ATA 3150

WHEN AC POWER WAS TURNED ON ALL WARNING LIGHTS OF CENTRAL WARNING PANEL ILLUMINATED AS IF WARNING LIGHT TEST SWITCH WAS ACTIVATED. A NEW ASSY WAS INSTALLED AND NO FURTHER DEFECT NOTED. PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE AN INTERNAL SHORT WAS FOUND THAT CAUSED THIS PROBLEM, THIS IS A RARE FAILURE OF THIS PART. (K)

ATA 5302

DURING ROUTINE INSP, A CRACK WAS DISCOVERED STARTING AT ATTACHMENT BORE HOLE AND RADIATING OFF THE EDGE OF THE ATTACHMENT FLANGE. (K)

ATA 7700

ENGINE CHIP WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. AN UNEVENTFUL PRECAUTIONARY LANDING TO FIRST SUITABLE SPOT PERFORMED. ALL ENGINE CHIP DETECTORS WERE INSPECTED FOR ABNORMAL METAL. ONE, NOT RECOVERABLE, HAIRLIKE SLIVER, FOUND ON THE ELECTRICITY WIRED DETECTOR WAS REMOVED. GROUND PENALTY RUN COMPLETED. NO DEFECT FOUND. SUSPECT SLIVER GENERATED DURING ASSEMBLY OR NORMAL OPERATION. NO FURTHER CHIPS FOUND UP THE DATE OF THIS REPORT. INITIAL DATE OF CHIP WAS MARCH 20, 2008. 75+ ENGINE HRS ELAPSED SINCE OCCURRENCE WITH NO FURTHER PROBLEM REPORTED. (K)

ATA 5344

DURING ROUTINE INSPECTION, A CRACK WAS FOUND IN THE HINGE MOUNTING FLANGE RADIATING FROM THE OUTERMOST LT ATTACHMENT SCREW BORE. REMOVAL OF ATTACHMENT SCREW REVEALED THE FLANGE CORNER HAD SEPARATED FROM THE REST OF THE HINGE. (K)

ATA 7320

SEAL FOUND LEAKING FUEL OVERBOARD WITH FUEL BOOST PUMP PRESSURE APPLIED. FOLLOWING STARTUP AND SHUTDOWN OF THE FUEL BOOST PUMP FUEL LEAK SLOWED BUT CONTINUED AND WAS BEYOND ALLOWABLE LIMITS OF THE MM. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH ALMOST ALL CONTROLS REQUIRING SEAL REPLACEMENT TYPICALLY AROUND 500 HOURS IN SERVICE AND OFTEN EARLIER. THIS IS AGGRAVATED BY THE FAILURE OF PILOTS TO USE THEIR CHECKLIST AND ENSURE THAT THE FUEL BOOST PUMP IS ON AND SUPPLYING LUBRICATION TO THE SEAL WHENEVER THE ENGINE IS ROTATING. IN 50,000 HOURS OF FLIGHT OPS, WE HAVE AVERAGED A SEAL EVERY 1,000 HOURS. CURRENTLY HAVE BEEN OPERATING WITH THE LATEST SEAL VERSION, TU133A, THAT TO DATE WITH 4500 HOURS SERVICE IN 8 CONTROLS, HAS NOT LEAKED IN OPERATION. SUGGEST THIS SEAL BE EMBODIED INTO ALL CONTROLS AS SOON AS THE IN SERVICE TESTING IS COMPLETED AS IT SEEMS TO WORK MUCH BETTER THAN THE ORIGINAL SEAL ASSY. (K)