N880SL
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 |
| AIR METHODS LLC (QMLA) | Operator | 2025-04-24 – 2025-04-24 | Operator named in NTSB report |
Accident & incident history
Maintenance disclosures
DURING INSPECTION FOUND 2 CRACKS IN THE TOP SKIN OF THE TAILBOOM.
DURING SCHEDULED INSPECTION FOUND CRACK IN 11L FRAME IN TAIL BOOM AT THE 8 O'CLOCK POSITION, 31MM LONG.
DURING VISUAL INSPECTIONS FOUND A CRACK AT THE 0900 O'CLOCK POSITION ON THE 11L FRAME OF THE TAIL BOOM. DURING DISASSEMBLY AND FURTHER INSPECTION FOUND CHAFE DAMAGE AT THE 0300 O'CLOCK POSITION ON THE 11L FRAME AND ALSO A CRACK ON THE SPAR ABOVE THE 10L FRAME AT THE 1000 O'CLOCK POSITION. AIRCRAFT IS CURRENTLY IN SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE INSPECTION EVENT.
UPON STARTUP OF #1 ENGINE PILOT & CREW NOTICED AN UNUSUAL BURNING SMELL IN THE COCKPIT/CABIN OF THE AIRCRAFT. VERIFICATION THAT THE SMELL WASN'T COMING FROM OUTSIDE THE AIRCRAFT WAS CONFIRMED AND ENGINE WAS SHUT DOWN. THE SMELL WAS DESCRIBED AS POSSIBLE HOT PLASTIC/CHEMICAL. MECHANICS WERE NOTIFIED AND REPORTED TO BASE TO INVESTIGATE. AFTER DISASSEMBLY OF THE INTERIOR PANELS AND COWLING THE STARTING/IGNITION/ELECTRICAL SYSTEM & COMPONENTS WERE INSPECTED WITH AND WITHOUT POWER APPLIED WITH NO DISCREPANCIES NOTED. AFTER DETAILED INSPECTION OF SYSTEMS THE AIRCRAFT WAS GROUND RUN FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES WITH 2 SEPARATE START SEQUENCES AND ISSUE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN OUTSIDE WITH AN AIR TEMPERATURE AROUND 12 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A CAUSE OF ADDITIONAL OIL BEING BURNT DURING START UP AS A SMALL AMOUNT WAS FOUND IN THE EXHAUST DUCT DURING INSPECTION. THIS SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL COULD HAVE BYPASSED COLD SOAKED SEALS. THERE WERE ALSO MODERATE WINDS DURING THE STARTUP THAT COULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE FUMES BEING NOTICED IN THE AIRCRAFT.
FOUND FUEL CAP ORING HAD ROLLED OFF OF ITS SEAT, RESEATED ORING & FITTED FUEL CAP. COMPLETED MX FLIGHT, FUEL CAP LEAK CHECKED GOOD.
PILOT NOTED ENG FIRE INDICATION, FOUND FALSE INDICATION DUE TO FAULTY FIRE DETECTOR. PILOT ALSO REPORTED FIRING NR 1 FIRE BOTTLE, INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE FIRE BOTTLE DID NOT DISCHARGE. INSPECTION OF FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYS REVEALED NO DEFECTS.
DURING CRUSE FLIGHT THE PILOT NOTICED 3 EA EMBERS (SPARKS) FALLING FROM THE COCKPIT OVERHEAD CIRCUIT BREAKER PANEL AREA. THE PILOT LANDED IMMEDIATELY AND SHUTDOWN POWER. MECHANIC INSPECTED THE AREA ABOVE THE CIRCUIT BREAKER PANEL AND FOUND 3 EA WIRES CHAFED BY THE SECURING TIE WRAP. THE MECHANIC REPAIRED THE 3EA WIRES, APPLIED POWER TO THE ACFT AND ALL SYS WITH NO OTHER TROUBLE FOUND. THE MECHANIC LOCATED THE NEW TIE WRAPS IN A BETTER LOCATION TO PREVENT CHAFING OF ANY WIRES IN THE AREA.
ACFT RECEIVED A TAIL ROTOR GEARBOX CHIP LIGHT UPON ENGINE START UP THAT COULD NOT BE CLEARED USING CHIP PULSE. LIGHT ILLUMINATED BEFORE TAKEOFF WAS INITIATED AND BOTH ENGINES WERE SHUTDOWN NORMALLY. UPON INSPECTION, FOUND T/R GREARBOX CHIP DETECTOR TO HAVE MULTIPLE LARGE OBJECTS OF DEBRIS ATTACHED. AFTER REFERRING MM, FOUND DEBRIS SIZE AND SHAPE CATEGORY TO WARRANT GEARBOX REPLACEMENT DUE TO LIKELY GEAR WEAR. REPLACED GEARBOX ASSY ON ACFT WITH SERVICEABLE ASSY.
NR 2 FIRE LIGHT MALFUNCTIONED. APPROX 15 MINUTES INTO A NIGHT FLIGHT, A DIM, ALMOST BACKLIGHT GLOW CAME ON THE NR 2 FIRE WARNING LIGHT. FIRE LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE. ALL OTHER ENGINE INSTRUMENTS WERE NORMAL AND NO WARNING LIGHTS ON THE ANNUNCIATOR PANEL. RETURNED TO BASE AND DURING SHUTDOWN THE DIM GLOW OF THE FIRE LIGHT WENT OUT WHEN I TURNED THE GENERATORS OFF. MX RESPONDED AND DISCOVERED THERE WAS A BAD CONTACT ON 1 OF THE 4 LAMPS INSIDE THE FIRE LIGHT. MX REPLACED THE BULB AND THE ACFT WAS PUT BACK INTO SERVICE.
DURING INSP OF THE AIRFRAME FOUND CRACKS IN THE TAIL CONE ON AREAS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED. CONSULTED WITH THE MFG ENGINEERING AND ARE AWAITING A REPAIR SCHEME.
WHILE INSPECTING THE AIRFRAME FOUND THE MAIN SPAR OF THE TAIL BOOM CHAFED BY THE VERTICAL TAIL FAIRING. HAD TO SEND THE TAIL BOOM FOR REPAIR.
UPON REMOVAL OF THE MAIN TRANSMISSION FOR REPLACEMENT, FOUND DENTS IN THE TRANSMISSION DECK. CONSULTED WITH MFG ENGINEERING AND ARE AWAITING A REPAIR SCHEME.
WHILE PERFORMING A REPAIR OF THE LT SIDE BELLY PANEL AND JACK PAD, FOUND RT SIDE BELLY PANEL AND JACK PAD CRACKED.
WHILE PERFORMING A REPAIR TO THE LEFT JACK PAD AND BELLY PANEL, FOUND THE RIGHT JACK PAD AND BELLY PANEL CRACKED.
PILOT REPORTED YAW CSAS FAILURE EN ROUTE TO HOSPITAL. NO COCKPIT INDICATIONS, ONLY INTERMITTENT UNCOMMANDED TAIL ROTOR INPUTS. AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO BASE FOR MX. AFTER TROUBLESHOOTING YAW SYSTEM, FOUND YAW COMPUTER TO BE INOPERATIVE. REMOVED AND REPLACED COMPUTER, OPS CHECKS GOOD. (M)
WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT, ENGINE NR 2 CHIP LIGHT ILLUMINATED, CHIP PLUSE SYSTEM WAS ACTIVATED THREE TIMES, EACH TIME THE LIGHT REILLUMINATED. INFORMED COMPANY DISPATCH OF SITUATION, THEY INFORMED MAINTENANCE. INITIATED PRECAUTIONARY LANDING PROCEDURES, CONTACTED PARKS DOWNTOWN TOWER (CPS) AND REQUESTED LANDING CLEARANCE. PREFORMED NORMAL APPROACH AND LANDING TO A TAXIWAY, SHUTDOWN AIRCRAFT, AND WAITED FOR MAINT TO ARRIVE. MECH INSPECT CHIP PLUGS, FOUND ONE HAIR LIKE PIECE OF METAL ON SCAVENGE PLUG, DRAINED OIL AND FILTERS INSPECTED FOR METAL, NONE FOUND. PERFORMED 20 MINUTE PENALTY RUN, REINSPECTED PLUGS, OIL AND FILTERS NO METAL FOUND. REINSTALLED PLUGS AND FILTERS, SERVICED OIL RETURNED AC TO SERVICE.