N941AM
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
PILOT DETECTED LEFT FUEL BOOST LIGHT IN FLIGHT.
WHEN EN ROUTE BACK FROM LANDER TO THE HOSPITAL IN CASPER WITH THE PATIENT, TRANSMISSION PSI GAUGE BEGAN TO FLUCTUATE STARTING AT AROUND 10 PSI WORKING ITS WAY UP TO 20 PSI OF FLUCTUATIONS. CLOSE TO CAPER ABOUT 2 MILES TO THE WEST, DECIDED TO MAKE OUR WAY BACK TO AIRPORT WITH AIRCRAFT AND TRANSPORT THE PATIENT BY GROUND. FOLLOWED AMC PROCEDURE FOR A MX EVENT. INSPECTED TRANSMISSION PRESSURE SYSTEM. SUSPECTED MOISTURE MAY HAVE ENTERED THE CONNECTOR PLUG AND CAUSED AN INTERMITTENT PRESSURE FLUCTUATION DURING FLIGHT. CLEANED AND INSPECTED THE TRANSDUCER AND CONNECTOR PLUG. COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM ON THE GROUND RUN OR MAINTENANCE OPS CHECK FLIGHT. AIRCRAFT WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE.
ON 12/29/2023 AT 2025 HOURS, I WAS ATTEMPTING AN ENGINE START AFTER DROPPING OFF A PATIENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO HOSPITAL IN DENVER, CO. AFTER INITIAL STARTER WIND-UP AND INTRODUCTION OF FUEL, I COULD HEAR THAT THE START WAS SLOWER THAN NORMAL. AS I MONITORED ENGINE TEMP, I NOTICED A RANGE BETWEEN 860 AND 880 CELSIUS. THE TEMP WASN'T FALLING AND I WAS NEARING MY LIMITATION OF BEING ABOVE 843 DEGREES CELSIUS FOR MORE THAN TEN SECONDS DURING A START SO I ELECTED TO ROLL OFF THE THROTTLE AND ABORT THE START. SIMULTANEOUSLY, WE COULD SMELL A STRONG, SULFUR TYPE ODOR COMING INTO THE COCKPIT AND CABIN. AFTER SHUTDOWN, BATTERY VOLTAGE WAS INDICATING 21.5 WHICH IS BELOW THE ALLOWABLE STARTING REQUIREMENTS. I MADE THE NECESSARY NOTIFICATIONS AND A NEW BATTERY WAS INSTALLED ON 12/30/2023 AT 0845 HOURS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS THOROUGHLY INSPECTED FOR ADDITIONAL DEFECTS AND NONE WERE FOUND.
DURING A RETURN-TO-BASE LEG IN LEVEL CRUISE THE MED CREW NOTED A MILD BURNT ELECTRICAL SMELL COMING FROM THE AIR-CONDITIONER VENTS. THE PILOT TURNED OFF THE AIR-CONDITIONER AND THE SMELL DISSIPATED. UPON EVALUATION BY MAINTENACE THE AFT BLOWER MOTOR WAS INOP. THE MOTOR WAS REPLACED THE AC WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE.
PILOTS RECEIVED PAX OXY OFF MESSAGE BEFORE TAXI OUT, INDICATING LESS THAN 50 PSI IN PASSENGER OXYGEN BOTTLE SYSTEM. VERIFIED PAX BOTTLES WERE TURNED ON AND PRESSURES WERE READING NORMAL AT BOTTLES AND COCKPIT INDICATORS. VERIFIED FLOW FROM THERAPEUTIC OXYGEN PORT AS THIS UTILIZES PASSENGER BOTTLES. TROUBLESHOT INDICATION SYSTEM AND FOUND FAILED SWITCH, IDENTIFIER 95S4. WIRING WAS OK. SWITCH WAS REPLACED WITH NEW UNIT. INDICATION THEN NORMAL.
PILOTS DISCOVERED AUX DC CONV CIRCUIT BREAKER POPPED AFTER LAV WOULD NOT FLUSH. BREAKER WAS RESET, IT IMMEDIATELY POPPED AGAIN WITH SMALL AMOUNT OF SMOKE EMANATING FROM CABIN CONVERTER, ID 106A1. BREAKER SECURED. FLIGHT COMPLETED SANS FLUSH TOILETS AND CABIN READING LIGHTS. NEW UNIT INSTALLED. OPERATIONAL CHECK SATISFACTORY. NOTE: THE FAILED UNIT SERIAL NUMBER WAS WELL ABOVE THE RANGE AFFECTED TO UPDATE TO MOD 5 STATUS PER GAC AND KGS.
WHILE PERFORMING TASK NR 262070, RT FIRE BOTTLE WEIGHT CHECK DURING AIRCRAFT FIRST 2C CHECK, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT GROUND STUDS E4045 AND E4046 DID NOT HAVE THE WIRE TERMINAL HOLD DOWN NUTS TORQUED. THE WIRE TERMINALS WERE FREE TO MOVE UP AND DOWN ALONG THE STUDS, APPROXIMATELY .6250 INCH. NUTS WERE TORQUED AND FIRE EXTINGUISHING CIRCUITRY INTEGRITY TEST WAS PERFORMED AND FOUND TO BE SATISFACTORY.
PILOT REPORT OF POSSIBLE PROBLEM WITH COPILOT SIDE WINDOW HEAT. TROUBLESHOOTING REVEALED BUSS TO BUSS RESISTANCE TOO HIGH, CAUSE FOR WINDOW REPLACEMENT. WINDOW VERY DIFFICULT TO REMOVE, EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES TAKEN, AS INCORRECT SEALANT WAS APPLIED DURING MANUFACTURE. SEALANT WAS NOT TYPE 1425 OR EQUIVALENT AS CALLED OUT IN MAINTENANCE MANUAL.
IN TRYING TO FIT BUSHING, P/N 1159LM20156, TO INSTALL MAIN GEAR JACK ADAPTER, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE PORTION OF THE 1159SCAV385-6 WIRE HARNESS FOR THE NR 4 WHEEL SPEED SENSOR IN TRAILING LINK OF RIGHT HAND LANDING GEAR WAS DAMAGED SUCH THAT BOTH CONDUCTORS ONLY HAD A FEW STRANDS OF WIRE EACH ALLOWING CIRCUIT TO BE COMPLETE. SUSPECT THAT DAMAGE WAS CAUSED PREVIOUSLY AT SERVICE CENTER. HARNESS WAS REPLACED WITH NEW COMPONENT.
LEFT WING NACA VENT PORTING FUEL ONTO GROUND AND DURING CLIMB WHEN OVER 11000 LB OF FUEL PUT INTO WING. EVENTUALLY FOUND MISSING O-RING P/N MS29513-337 IN OUTBOARD VENT COUPLING P/N 12J36-48A. THIS WAS REPLACED BY MFG TECHNICIANS AT OPERATOR'S FACILITY. FUNCTIONALLY CHECKED WITH WING FULLY LOADED WITH FUEL. IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE AIRFRAME MANUFACTURER AND WAS NOT PROPERLY TESTED.