Airworthiness Directive · Amendment 39-21028 · Tail rotor system
Leonardo S.p.A. Helicopters
This AD applies to Leonardo S.p.A. Model AW189 helicopters, certificated in any category, with a tail rotor (T/R) damper part number (P/N) 4F6420V00254 with a serial number (S/N) up to LK1229 inclusive, installed, except:
(1) Any T/R damper marked with a final dash “R” on the S/N, or
(2) Any T/R damper that has accumulated 150 or more total hours time-in-service (TIS) and has been installed for 12 or more consecutive months.
The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Leonardo S.p.A. Model AW189 helicopters. This AD requires inspecting the hydraulic fluid level on each tail rotor (T/R) damper and depending on the inspection results, removing the T/R damper from service and reporting information or repetitively inspecting the T/R damper. This AD is prompted by reports of major leakage of hydraulic fluid in T/R dampers. This condition could result in degradation of T/R damper performance; multiple leaking T/R dampers could result in T/R damage and subsequent loss control of the helicopter. The actions of this AD are intended to address an unsafe condition on these products.
You are responsible for performing each action required by this AD within the specified compliance time unless it has already been accomplished prior to that time.
(1) Within 10 hours TIS, inspect each T/R damper as follows: With the T/R damper in the upper position and the sight window downward at a 45-degree angle, inspect the hydraulic fluid level through the sight window using a T/R damper inspection tool.
(i) If the fluid level is over the pointing line in the red zone, before further flight, remove from service the T/R damper.
(ii) If the fluid level is under the pointing line in the white zone, repeat the inspection per paragraph (e)(1) at intervals not to exceed 10 hours TIS.
(2) Within 10 days after removing any T/R damper from service, as required by paragraph (e)(1)(i) of this AD, send photos of the sight window showing the hydraulic fluid level and a completed Table 1 of Leonardo Helicopters Emergency Alert Service Bulletin No. 189-226, dated July 5, 2019 to pse_aw189.mbx.aw@leonardocompany.com.
(3) For each T/R damper with less than 150 total hours TIS and that has been installed for less than 12 consecutive months, repeat the actions required by paragraph (e)(1) of this AD within every 10 hours TIS until the T/R damper reaches 150 total hours TIS and has been installed for 12 or more consecutive months.
(4) For each T/R damper with less than 150 total hours TIS and that has been installed for 12 or more consecutive months, repeat the actions required by paragraph (e)(1) of this AD within every 10 hours TIS until the T/R damper reaches 150 total hours TIS.
(5) For each T/R damper with 150 or more total hours TIS and that has been installed for less than 12 consecutive months, repeat the actions required by paragraph (e)(1) of this AD until the T/R damper has been installed for 12 consecutive months.
(6) After the effective date of this AD, do not install a T/R damper P/N 4F6420V00254 with S/N up to LK1229 inclusive on any helicopter, unless you have performed a ground run for at least 30 minutes and perform the actions required by paragraph (e)(1) of this AD.
(7) Repeating the inspection until the T/R damper reaches 150 total hours TIS and has been installed for 12 consecutive months constitutes a terminating action for the repetitive inspection required by paragraphs (e)(1) through (5) of this AD.
A federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with a collection of information subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act unless that collection of information displays a currently valid OMB Control Number. The OMB Control Number for this information collection is 2120-0056. Public reporting for this collection of information is estimated to be approximately 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. All responses to this collection of information are mandatory. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to: Information Collection Clearance Officer, Federal Aviation Administration, 10101 Hillwood Parkway, Fort Worth, TX 76177-1524.
