N877CR
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 1000 HOUR INSPECTION, CORROSION DAMAGE WAS DISCOVERED ON THE LOWER RH AND AFT âBROOM CLOSETâ ATTACHMENT ANGLES (PN: L533M1052317 & L533M1052318). A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DAMAGE AND AN APPROVED REPAIR PROCEDURE IS PROVIDED IN AIR METHODS ENGINEERING AUTHORIZATION 23-5300-EA-4961, INITIAL REVISION DATED 11 DEC 2024 AND IS SUBSTANTIATED BY FAA FORM 8110-3 BY RYAN D. LEE, DER-Y # 905240204, DATED 12 DEC 2024 WITH DER SPECIFIC SEQUENCE # 24RL029AM.
DURING 1000 HOUR INSPECTION, CRACK DAMAGE WAS DISCOVERED ON THE TRANSMISSION DECK ROOF ANGLE (PN: L533M1017266). THE CRACK WAS LESS THAN 3.25â IN LENGTH AND FIT THE CRITERIA AND APPLICABILITY FOR THE GENERIC AIRBUS REPAIR DESIGN APPROVAL SHEET AHI-135-53-061-20, ISSUE A DATED 02 DEC 2020. THE REPAIR WAS CARRIED OUT PER THIS GUIDANCE WITHOUT DEVIATION.
DURING 1000 HOUR INSPECTION, CRACK DAMAGE WAS DISCOVERED ON THE LH UPPER AND RH LOWER FRAME 5 MEDICAL INTERIOR MOUNT LOCATIONS. THE CRACKS WERE LESS THAN 1.5â IN LENGTH AND FIT THE CRITERIA AND APPLICABILITY FOR THE GENERIC AIRBUS REPAIR DESIGN APPROVAL SHEET AHI-135-53-048-19, ISSUE B DATED 20 NOV 2019. THE REPAIRS WERE CARRIED OUT PER THIS GUIDANCE WITHOUT DEVIATION.
DURING 1000 HOUR INSPECTION, CHAFE DAMAGE WAS DISCOVERED ON THE FRAME 4 INNER SKIN PANEL (PN: L533M1407205). A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DAMAGE AND AN APPROVED REPAIR PROCEDURE WAS COMPLIED WITH PER AIRBUS REPAIR DESIGN APPROVAL SHEET RDAS-EC135-53-2024-3666, ISSUE A DATED 21 NOV 2024.
DURING 1000 HOUR INSPECTION, FOUND SEVERAL AREAS OF DENT / DEBOND DAMAGE WERE DISCOVERED ON THE CABIN FLOOR (PN: L533M1016237). A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DAMAGE AND AN APPROVED REPAIR PROCEDURE WAS COMPLIED WITH PER AIRBUS REPAIR DESIGN APPROVAL SHEET RDAS-EC135-53-2024-3721, ISSUE A DATED 03 DEC 2024.
STRAIGHT & LEVEL FLIGHT, 2300â MSL, APPROX. 1700â AGL, NIGHT, PILOT UNDER GOGGLES. A LOUD THUMP WAS HEARD WITH A SIMULTANEOUS IMPACT IN THE AIRFRAME FELT BY ALL 3 CREW MEMBERS. A QUICK SCAN OF ALL INSTRUMENTS SHOWED NO MALFUNCTIONS, ALL SYSTEMS WITHIN NORMAL PARAMETERS. NO UNUSUAL VIBRATIONS OR FLIGHT CHARACTERISTICS NOTED SO PILOT ANNOUNCED SUSPECTED BIRD STRIKE AND DETERMINED THE CLOSEST AIRPORT TO BE NEW HOLSTEIN, WI (8D1) APPROX. 8-10NM NW OF THE AIRCRAFTS CURRENT POSITION. PILOT ANNOUNCED INTENTIONS TO THE CREW AND TURNED TOWARD THE FIELD. MEDIC RADIOED SITUATION AND INTENTIONS TO AIRCOM. VISUAL APPROACH, LANDING, AND NORMAL SHUT DOWN WERE PERFORMED. POST LANDING INSPECTION REVEALED INITIAL IMPACT TO BE THE #2 ENGINE INLET COWL JUST ABOVE THE OPENING TO THE COOLING FAN, CAUSING A CRACK TO THE COWL AND MOST LIKELY A QUICK & MERCIFUL DEMISE OF THE BIRD. HAD THE BIRD IMPACTED SLIGHTLY LOWER IT WOULD HAVE GONE INTO THE COWL OPENING. THE BIRD THEN MADE ITS WAY INTO THE AREA OF THE ROTATING SCISSORS/PITCH CHANGE LINKS WHERE IT WAS RELIEVED OF AT LEAST ONE FOOT & LEG (BECAUSE IT IS STILL NESTLED INTO THE ROTATING SCISSORS) AND A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF BLOOD AND OTHER BODY TISSUE. CURSORY EXAM OF FOOT & LEG INDICATED HIGH LIKELIHOOD OF IT FORMERLY BEING A CANADA GOOSE. HAVING ALREADY DAMAGED THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT AND MADE A SIGNIFICANT MESS OF THE ROTOR SYSTEM, THE BIRD DEPARTED THE ROTOR AREA AND MADE ITS WAY BACK TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT WHERE IT IMPACTED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE TAIL (VERT FIN) APPROX. 12â ABOVE AND FORWARD OF THE FENNESTRON OPENING CAUSING YET ANOTHER CRACK. NOT THROUGH YET THOUGH, BECAUSE THE REMAINS HAD YET ENOUGH MASS TO SOMEHOW IMPACT AND SIGNIFICANTLY BEND ONE OF THE FIXED STATORS IN THE FENNESTRON AND LEAVE AN IMPRESSIVE AMOUNT OF BLOOD AS IT FINALLY DEPARTED. THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES THEMSELVES WERE CLEAN AND UNDAMAGED (WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A SINGLE PIN FEATHER). ***** NOTE THIS AIRCRAFT STILL REMAINS OUT OF SERVICE AT THIS TIME FOR REPAIRS.*****
RETURNING FROM HOSPITAL (NO PATIENT TRANSPORT) AT CRUISE FLIGHT. THE #1 ENGINE CHIP LIGHT ILLUMINATED. ALERTED CREW AND CALLED AIRCOM. TRIED TO BURN THE CHIP NO SUCCESS. TOLD AIRCOM THAT I WAS DIVERTING TO THE GREEN BAY AIRPORT. PLACED THE AFFECTED ENGINE TO IDLE. MONITORED ENGINE TEMP AND PRESSURE (IN NORMAL RANGE.). CALLED GREEN BAY ATC TO ALERT OF MY SITUATION. ABOUT 3 MIN'S LATER NOTICED THE AFFECTED ENGINE MAKING A HIGH WINE PITCH SOUND (TEMP AND PRESSURE WERE NORMAL.). TOOK THE ENGINE FROM IDLE TO OFF AND SECURED. UPDATED GREEN BAY ATC AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY. PREFORMED A SHALLOW APPROACH TO AIRPORT AND LANDED SAFELY WITH NO DAMAGE TO AIRCRAFT OR INJURY TO PERSONNEL. MAINTENANCE FOUND NO DEFECTS.
DURING A COMPRESSOR WASH, WE NOTICED WHAT APPEARED TO BE SMOKE COMING FROM NR 2 ENGINE. DURING INVESTIGATION WE FOUND IT WAS FUEL LEAKING FROM THE FUEL CONTROL UNIT. MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT APPEARS TO BE FROM A CRACK IN THE HOUSING.
DURING FLIGHT, NOTICED THE NR 1 ENGINE CHIP LIGHT. RESET THE MASTER CAUTION AND BURNED CHIP. CHIP LIGHT WENT OUT. NR 1 ENGINE CHIP CAUTION RETURNED. RESET MASTER CAUTION AND BURNED CHIP. CHIP LIGHT WENT OUT. RETURNED TO BASE. NR 1 ENGINE CHIP RETURNED THIRD TIME, RESET MASTER CAUTION AND DIVERTED TO OTHER AIRPORT THAN DEPARTURE BASE FOR A PRECATIONARY LANDING. NR 1 ENGINE CHIP WENT OUT. CHANGED DESTINATION FOR THE DURATION OF THE FLIGHT AFTER THE MASTER CAUTION. MONITORED NR 1 ENGINE TEMP AND OIL PRESSURE. NO NOISES NOTED.
WHEN REFUELING ACFT, PILOT NOTICED FUEL DRIPPING FROM DRAIN TUBE AND ON SIDE OF ACFT. MECHANIC VERIFIED IT WAS FUEL LEAKING FROM THE HMU AND IT WAS NOT LEAKING FROM ONE OF THE PIPES ON THE HMU WHEN PRIME PUMPS TURNED ON. REMOVED HMU FIRE SHIELDS & LEAK WAS VISIBLE FROM THE CASE HALF OF THE UPPER AND LOWER PORTION OF HMU.
IN CRUISE FLIGHT, UPON TURNING THE HEATER ON, SMOKE & FUMES FILLED COCKPIT AND CABIN. THE PROBLEM WAS SOME LT OVER RESIDUE FROM THE COMPRESSOR WASH. MECHANIC VERIFIED THE SYS INTEGRITY THEN RAN THE ACFT WITH THE HEAT ON AND DOORS OPEN TO VENTILATE SYS. RAN FOR APPROX 10 MINUTES, NO SMELLS OR SMOKE. TOOK ACFT FOR A SHORT FLIGHT TO VERIFY PROBLEM WAS CLEARED UNDER POWER. ALL WAS GOOD. RETURNED ACFT TO SERVICE RT AFTER THAT.
AT APPROX 1300 HOURS, THE ACFT HIT A BIRD THAT PUT A LARGE HOLE IN THE RT WINDSCREEN. THE BIRD ENTERED THE COCKPIT STRIKING THE PILOT ON HIS RT SHOULDER. PILOT WAS WEARING A HELMET WITH FACE SHIELD LOWERED. UPON THE POST FLIGHT INSP, FOUND THAT THE RT ENDPLATE (ATTACHED TO THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER) HAD A NICK ON THE L/E ABOUT THE SIZE OF A HALF DOLLAR. FURTHERMORE, ONE OF THE ROTOR BLADES RECEIVED DAMAGE TO THE L/E AND A SCRAPE APPROX 4 TO 5 INCHES LONG, THIS DAMAGE OCCURRED FROM FLYING PLEXIGLASS.