N920U
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
DAMAGE TO THE X1790 FRAME (P/N: 350A214099) IN THE FORM OF A CUTOUT / HOLE ON BOTH LH AND RH SIDES NEAR LOWER FAIRING MOUNTING POINT. THE DAMAGE AREA ON THE LH SIDE MEASURED TO BE 0.15â X 0.15â AND THE DAMAGE AREA ON THE RH SIDE MEASURED TO BE 0.3â X 0.15â.
PILOT AND CREW DETECTED FAINT BURNING PLASTIC SMELL IN CABIN EN ROUTE TO HOSPITAL FOR PATIENT TRANSFER. PILOT PERFORMED AN UNSCHEDULED LANDING AND CONTACTED MAINTENANCE. IT WAS DETERMINED BY THE MECHANIC ON SITE THAT THE AIR COMM AIR CONDITIONER AFT EVAPORATOR BLOWER MOTOR HAD LOCKED UP CAUSING THE BURNT SMELL, THIS ODOR WAS CIRCULATED THROUGH THE CABIN VIA THE STILL FUNCTIONING FORWARD BLOWER. MOTOR HAS BEEN REPLACED AND ISSUE IS RESOLVED.
CORROSION DAMAGE WAS NOTED ON THE FRAME, BS 845, THE DAMAGE MEASURED 1 INCH IN LENGTH AND .035 DEEP. REMOVED OF DAMAGE AND A REPAIR DOUBLER INSTALLED.
DURING INSPECTION OF TAIL BOOM FOUND DAMAGE BENEATH 2 ANTENNAS AT FS 5315 & FS 6730. AWAITING ENGINEERING AUTHORIZATION TO REPAIR BY BONDING AND RIVETING DOUBLERS.
DURING AAIP A1660 600 HR SCHEDULED INSPECTION, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE FWD ENG FIREWALL HAD A TOTAL OF 5 CRACKS IN 4 LOCATIONS. TWO OF THE LOCATIONS ARE ON THE UPPER LT & RT BEND ADJACENT TO THE END OF THE ENG COWLING HINGE CONSISTING OF 1 CRACK EACH APPROX 1 INCH IN LENGTH. THE OTHER TWO LOCATIONS ARE ON THE AFT SIDE OF THE FIREWALL MIDWAY DOWN ON THE LT & RT SIDE JUST AS THE FIREWALL BENDS & CHANGES ANGLE. THESE LOCATIONS CONSIST OF 1 CRACK APPROX 5 INCH IN LENGTH ON THE DOUBLER & UNKNOWN LENGTH CRACK UNDERNEATH THE DOUBLER. THE LAST CRACK LENGTH UNKNOWN IS IN THE SAME LOCATION, OPPOSITE SIDE UNDERNEATH DOUBLER. A REPLACEMENT FIREWALL HAS BEEN ORDERED.
DURING AAIP A1660 600 HR SCHEDULED INSPECTION, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE STRINGER JUST BELOW THE BATTERY DOOR OPENING, IN THE TAIL BOOM HAS A CRACK APPROX 1 INCH IN LENGTH.
DURING TAKEOFF, THE PILOT & CREW REPORTED SMELLING & SEEING WHITE SMOKE IN CABIN. THE PILOT ABORTED THE TAKEOFF & LANDED WITHOUT DELAY. THE MECHANICS PERFORMED VISUAL SEARCHES FOR ANY EVIDENCE OF THAT WOULD CAUSE WHITE SMOKE. THE MECHANICS PERFORMED GND TESTS OF ALL THE ELEC SYSTEMS IN THE CABIN & DURING THE GND TEST OF THE ACFT SYS IT WAS VISUALLY CONFIRMED THAT A WIRE TO THE FWD EVAPORATOR BLOWER WAS SMOKING. THE SYS WAS SHUT DOWN WITHOUT DELAY. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION WE FOUND THE WIRE WAS RUN TIGHTLY AROUND THE BOTTOM OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL & HAD CHAFED AGAINST THE FIBERGLASS PANEL. THAT SYS WAS THEN DE-ACTIVATED & DEFERRED IAW PROCEDURES.
BEFORE TAKEOFF PILOT NOTED 81 GALLONS OF FUEL. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF PILOT NOTICED FUEL 0. PILOT DECLARED A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. TROUBLE SHOT VEMD SYS TO INCLUDE THE CONNECTIONS FOR MISSING OR BENT PINS. REMOVED BELLY PANEL & VISUALLY CHECKED ALL CONNECTIONS. CHECKED THE FUEL GAUGE ELEC CONNECTOR & FOUND THAT IT WAS NOT SEATED PROPERLY. CHECKED FOR MISSING OR BENT PINS & THEN TIGHTENED CONNECTOR. OPERATIONS CHECKED NORMAL.
RIGHT WINDSCREEN CRACKED. THE CRACK IS ABOUT HALF WAY UP THE WINDSHIELD ON THE RT SIDE AT THE FRAME. IT EXTENDS ABOUT .7500 THE WAY ACROSS.
CREW SMELLED BURNED POPCORN ODOR IN CABIN ON TAKEOFF, INSPECTED FOUND THAT SODA HAD BEEN SPILLED ON PILOTS FLOOR, RAN DOWN ON HEATER KNOB AND ON HEATER (HOT) VALVE IN CABIN FLOOR VALVES. CLEANED AND REINSTALLED PANELS.
AFTER DEPARTURE, FLI (FIRST LIMIT INDICATOR) FAILED. RETURNED TO BASE, RESET FLI. MECHANIC CHECKED FLI FOR FAILURE CODE, NONE INDICATED. FLIGHT CONTINUED TO DESTINATION.