N854EC
Registered owner: PITT COUNTY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL INC, NC (owner ≠ operator)
Operators of this aircraft
Who operated this tail, and how firmly we know it.
| Operator | Role | Period | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| METRO AVIATION, INC (HDNA) | Certificate holder | — | Matched by certificate designator |
| AIR METHODS LLC (QMLA) | Operator | 2010-12-29 – 2010-12-29 | Operator named in NTSB report |
Accident & incident history
Maintenance disclosures
PILOT'S STATEMENT - WAS AT CRUISE FLIGHT AT 2000 MSL ON LEG BETWEEN ECU NORTH HOSPITAL AND ECU MEDICAL CENTER WHEN OVSP FAIL (#2) CAUTION ILLUMINATED AND THEN EXTINGUISHED ON ITS OWN FOLLOWING ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. AUTOPILOT WAS COUPLED AND THERE WERE NO SECONDARY INDICATIONS. OVER NEXT MINUTE OR SO OVSP FAIL CAUTION RETURNED AND THEN EXTINGUISHED ON ITS OWN SEVERAL MORE TIMES. REFERRED TO CHECKLIST WHICH DIRECTED LAND AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE AND INFORMED CREW WE WOULD BE GOING DIRECTLY TO ECU LOWER PAD FOR MAINTENANCE ACTION. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 3 MINUTES FOLLOWING THE INITIAL CAUTION, THE #2 ENGINE OVSP FAIL ILLUMINATED STEADY ON CAD AND SHUT ITSELF DOWN (THIS STATEMENT WAS BY THE SUBMITTER). I MADE 180 TURN TOWARDS NEAREST AIRPORT (KIXA), SECURED THE AFFECTED ENGINE, AND CONDUCTED A RUN-ON LANDING ON WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. AFTER ACTION FINDINGS BY THE MAINTENANCE STAFF - INSPECTION OF THE #2 ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE #2 ENGINE OVERSPEED SENSOR CONTACTED THE POWER TURBINE PHONIC WHEELS DUE TO INTERNAL SWELLING (BULGING) OF THE SENSOR BODY FROM POTENTIAL OIL INTRUSION. THE CONTACT WITH THE PHONIC WHEELS AND THE OVERSPEED SENSOR RENDERED THE HOMOPOLAR GENERATORS (2 EA) LOCATED IN THE SENSOR INOPERATIVE RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF SIGNAL TO THE TACHOMETER. THIS LOSS OF THESE SIGNALS CAUSED THE AUTOMATIC SHUTDOWN OF THE #2 ENGINE BY THE TACHOMETER BOX THROUGH THE ACTIVATION OF THE OVERSPEED/DRAIN VALVE.
PILOT'S STATEMENT - SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTING FROM A SCENE WITH PATIENT ON BOARD, MEDICAL CREW ANNOUNCED THERE WAS AN ACRID SMELL IN AFT CABIN. COCKPIT INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL (NO ELECTRICAL ISSUES PRESENT AND ALL CIRCUIT BREAKERS IN). AFTER APPROXIMATELY 120 SECONDS ACRID SMELL WAS ALSO NOTICEABLE IN THE COCKPIT AND MED CREW STATED THAT THEY WERE UNCOMFORTABLE CONTINUING THE FLIGHT. I IMMEDIATELY EXECUTED A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING TO THE CLOSEST SUITABLE AREA. LANDING WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT INCIDENT. CORRECTIVE ACTION TAKEN - MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN PERFORMED A THOROUGH INSPECTION OF ALL AIRCRAFT AND MEDICAL ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT, FOLLOWED BY 20 MINUTE GROUND RUN WITH NO SMELL NOTICED, FOLLOWED BY OPERATIONAL CHECK FLIGHT WITH NOT UNUSUAL ODORS NOTED.
FOUND A CRACK ON TAIL BOOM RING FRAME X9227.
CREW AND PILOT SMELLED ELECTRICAL BURNING ODOR DURING FLIGHT. NORMAL LANDING COMPLETED WITHOUT INCIDENT, AND WITHOUT ANY FURTHER EMERGENCY ACTION TAKEN. MX INSPECTED ACFT, FOUND COCKPIT VENTILATION FAN SHORTING.
THE MEDICAL CREW REPORTED TO THE PILOT THAT THEY SMELLED FUEL IN THE CABIN SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO THE HELIPAD. THE MECHANIC PERFORMED AN INPSECTION OF THE FUEL SYS AND FOUND THAT THE LOWER FITTING OF THE EXPANSION TANK WAS LEAKING. THE ACFT IS CURRENTLY OOS AWAITING THE ARRIVAL OF A REPLACEMENT EXPANSION TANK. THIS PARTICULAR TANK WAS REPLACED IN THIS ACFT JUST AFTER IT INITIALLY ARRIVED FROM THE MFG WITH VERY LITTLE TIME.
THE PILOT AND CREW REPORTED A ODOR OF FUEL IN THE CABIN ON TAKEOFF. THE PILOT LANDED AT THE NEAREST AIRPORT TO INSPECT THE FUEL CAP AND ACFT FOR ANY NOTICEABLE SIGNS OF FUEL LEAKS, ETC. NO DEFECTS WERE NOTED. THE MECHANIC INSPECTED THE ACFT TO INCLUDE THE ENGINES, ENGINE COMPARTMENTS, CABIN AREA TO INCLUDE CHECKING FOR LEAKS AROUND THE EXPANSION TANK, AND UNDERNEATH THE ACFT FOR POSSIBLE BOOST PUMP OR FUEL SUMP LEAKS. NO DEFECTS NOTED. THE ACFT WAS THEN GROUND RUN WITH NO DEFECTS NOTED. THE ACFT WAS THEN RETURN TO SERVICE.