Airworthiness Directive · Amendment 39-14877 · Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Model 206A, B, L, L-1, L-3, and L-4 Helicopters
Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Model 206A, B, L, L-1, L-3, and L-4 Helicopters
Model 206A, B, L, L-1, L-3, and L-4 helicopters, with a tail rotor blade (blade) with the following part number (P/N) and serial number (S/N) installed, certificated in any category.
| Model 206A & B; Blade, P/N 206-016-201-133, S/N with prefix “CS” and no “V” suffix | Model 206A, B, L, L-1, L-3, & L-4; Blade, P/N 206-016-201-131, S/N with prefix “CS” and no “V” suffix | |
| 1381 through 1442 | 7000 through 7018 | 10174 through 10218 |
| 1492 through 1517 | 7020 through 7043 | 10220 |
| 1520 through 1542 | 7045 through 7050 | 10232 |
| 1550 | 7052 through 7132 | 10235 |
| 1556 | 7134 through 7246 | 10237 through 10241 |
| 1560 | 7248 through 7270 | 10244 |
| 1562 | 7272 through 7277 | 10245 |
| 1564 through 1567 | 7279 through 7339 | 10248 |
| 1569 through 1606 | 7342 through 7368 | 10250 through 10264 |
| 1609 | 7784 | 10266 through 10268 |
| 1611 | 7786 | 10270 through 10274 |
| 1612 | 7788 | 10276 through 10278 |
| 1614 through 1631 | 7790 through 7796 | 10280 through 10282 |
| 1633 through 1675 | 7798 through 7819 | 10284 through 10292 |
| 1677 | 7821 through 7833 | 10296 |
| 1678 | 7835 through 7839 | 10300 through 10330 |
| 1680 through 1682 | 7841 through 8001 | 10332 |
| 1684 through 1787 | 8003 through 8026 | 10333 |
| 1789 through 1803 | 8029 through 8061 | 10335 through 10347 |
| 1810 through 1812 | 8064 through 8117 | 10349 |
| 1814 | 8119 | 10351 through 10359 |
| 1816 | 8121 through 8139 | 10363 through 10365 |
| 1820 | 8142 through 8176 | 10367 |
| 1823 through 1831 | 8178 through 8262 | 10373 |
| 1834 through 1836 | 8264 through 8294 | 10374 |
| 1838 | 8298 through 8368 | 10377 through 10385 |
| 1840 through 1844 | 8370 through 8375 | 10387 through 10408 |
| 1846 | 8378 through 8416 | 10410 |
| 1848 through 1882 | 8419 | 10414 through 10417 |
| 1884 through 1887 | 8421 | 10419 through 10427 |
| 1889 through 1893 | 8425 through 8428 | 10430 |
| 1896 through 1898 | 8430 through 8438 | 10432 |
| 1900 | 8440 | 10437 |
| 1904 | 8441 | 10438 |
| 1909 through 1912 | 8443 | 10442 through 10445 |
| 1915 | 8445 through 8447 | 10458 through 10466 |
| 1916 | 8449 through 8606 | 10469 |
| 1919 through 1921 | 8608 through 8622 | 10470 |
| 1924 | 8624 through 8626 | 10474 |
| 1928 through 1931 | 8628 through 8632 | 10476 through 10478 |
| 1933 | 8635 through 8653 | 10480 through 10487 |
| 1934 through 1939 | 8655 through 8686 | 10489 through 10491 |
| 1943 | 8690 | 10493 through 10495 |
| 1945 | 8692 through 8700 | 10497 through 10503 |
| 1947 | 8703 through 8715 | 10505 through 10588 |
| 1948 | 8717 through 8722 | 10591 through 10606 |
| 1952 through 1957 | 8724 through 8742 | 10608 through 10610 |
| 1960 | 8745 through 8828 | 10612 through 10620 |
| 1962 through 1965 | 8830 through 8835 | 10623 |
| 8838 through 8840 | 10624 | |
| 8842 through 8881 | 10631 through 10655 | |
| 8883 through 9032 | 10657 through 10669 | |
| 9034 through 9139 | 10672 | |
| 9141 through 9198 | 10673 | |
| 9200 | 10676 through 10678 | |
| 9202 through 9302 | 10680 through 10683 | |
| 9304 through 9339 | 10685 | |
| 9341 through 9371 | 10687 | |
| 9373 through 9411 | 10689 through 10702 | |
| 9413 | 10707 | |
| 9415 through 9417 | 10712 | |
| 9419 through 9496 | 10715 | |
| 9498 through 9585 | 10730 | |
| 9587 through 9594 | 10732 through 10734 | |
| 9596 through 9618 | 10736 | |
| 9621 through 9629 | 10738 | |
| 9632 through 9642 | 10739 | |
| 9645 through 9651 | 10746 | |
| 9653 through 9673 | 10750 | |
| 9675 through 9707 | 10756 | |
| 9709 through 9724 | 10760 | |
| 9727 through 9731 | 10761 | |
| 9733 through 9735 | 10765 | |
| 9737 through 9739 | 10770 | |
| 9741 through 9748 | 10774 through 10776 | |
| 9751 through 9785 | 10778 | |
| 9787 | 10781 | |
| 9788 | 10783 through 10785 | |
| 9790 through 9792 | 10792 | |
| 9795 through 9847 | 10794 | |
| 9849 through 9928 | 10798 | |
| 9930 through 9937 | 10799 | |
| 9940 through 9942 | 10806 through 10808 | |
| 9944 through 9952 | 10811 | |
| 9955 through 9972 | 10814 through 10822 | |
| 9974 through 9989 | 10824 | |
| 9991 through 9995 | 10825 | |
| 9997 through 10004 | 10829 | |
| 10006 through 10009 | 10831 | |
| 10011 | 10917 | |
| 10013 through 10018 | 10923 | |
| 10021 through 10030 | 10931 | |
| 10034 | 10936 | |
| 10036 through 10057 | 10937 | |
| 10061 through 10082 | 10940 | |
| 10090 through 10092 | 10943 | |
| 10094 through 10100 | 10945 | |
| 10102 through 10114 | 10947 | |
| 10116 | 10948 | |
| 10119 | 10964 | |
| 10121 | 10965 | |
| 10123 through 10134 | 10973 | |
| 10136 through 10140 | 10982 | |
| 10142 through 10144 | 10985 | |
| 10146 through 10172 | 10986 |
This amendment supersedes an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for the specified Bell Helicopter Textron Canada (BHTC) model helicopters. The existing AD currently requires certain inspections and checks of the tail rotor blade (blade) for a deformation, a crack, and a bent or deformed tail rotor weight (weight). Also, that AD requires, before further flight, replacing each blade with an airworthy blade if a deformation, a crack, or a bent or deformed weight is found. This action contains the same actions as the existing AD and also adds to the applicability certain serial-numbered blades inadvertently omitted from the current AD. This action also requires replacing each affected blade, which is a terminating action. This amendment is prompted by three reports of skin cracks originating near the blade trailing edge balance weight. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent blade failure and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.
Required as indicated.
To prevent blade failure and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter, do the following:
(a) Before further flight, unless accomplished previously, and before installing any blade with a P/N and S/N listed in the applicability section of this AD, clean the blade. Using a 10X or higher magnifying glass, inspect both sides of each blade for a deformation, a crack, and a bent or deformed weight in the area shown in Figure 1 of this AD.
Note 1: Paint irregularities on the blade may indicate a crack.
(b) After doing paragraph (a) of this AD, at the following intervals, clean both sides of each blade and do either paragraph (1) or (2) as follows:
(1) At intervals not to exceed 12 hours time-in-service (TIS), using a 10X or higher magnifying glass, inspect both sides of each blade for a deformation, a crack, and a bent or deformed weight in the area shown in Figure 1 of this AD, or
(2) Inspect and check both sides of each blade for a deformation, a crack, and a bent or deformed weight in the area shown in Figure 1 of this AD as follows:
(i) Using a 10X or higher magnifying glass, inspect at intervals not to exceed 24 hours TIS, and
(ii) Check at intervals not to exceed 3 hours TIS between the inspections required by paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this AD. An owner/operator (pilot), holding at least a private pilot certificate, may perform this visual check and must enter compliance with this paragraph into the helicopter maintenance records by following 14 CFR sections 43.11 and 91.417(a)(2)(v).
(c) Before further flight, replace any blade that has a deformation, a crack, or a bent or deformed weight with an airworthy blade.
Note 2: Bell Helicopter Textron Alert Service Bulletin No. 206-04-100 for Model 206A and B and No. 206L-04-127 for Model 206L series, both Revision C, both dated March 5, 2005, pertain to the subject of this AD.
(d) On or before April 27, 2007, for any affected part-numbered blade with a S/N listed in the applicability section of this AD:
(1) Replace the blade with a blade that has a S/N other than one listed in the applicability section of this AD, or
(2) Replace the blade with a blade that has a S/N listed in the applicability section of this AD and also has a “V” suffix.
(e) Replacing each blade with an airworthy blade as required by paragraph (d) of this AD constitutes terminating action for the requirements of this AD.
(f) To request a different method of compliance or a different compliance time for this AD, follow the procedures in 14 CFR 39.19. Contact the Safety Management Group, Rotorcraft Directorate, FAA, ATTN: Sharon Miles, Aviation Safety Engineer, Regulations and Guidance Group, Fort Worth, Texas 76193-0111, telephone (817) 222-5122, fax (817) 222-5961, for information about previously approved alternative methods of compliance.
(g) This amendment becomes effective on February 13, 2007.
Note 3: The subject of this AD is addressed in Transport Canada (Canada) AD No. CF-2004-05R1, dated June 28, 2004.
The aircraft, engines and makers this AD names, by the model designations in its text. A model listed here may still be outside the AD's serial ranges.
