Airworthiness Directive · Amendment 39-10675 · McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems Model 369A, 369D, 369E, 369F, 369FF, 369H, 369HE, 369HM, 369HS, 500N, 600N, and OH-6A Helicopters
McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems Model 369A, 369D, 369E, 369F, 369FF, 369H, 369HE, 369HM, 369HS, 500N, 600N, and OH-6A Helicopters
Model 369A, 369D, 369E, 369F, 369FF, 369H, 369HE, 369HM, 369HS, 500N, 600N, and OH-6A helicopters with main rotor blades Part Number (P/N) 369A1100-507 with Serial Number (S/N) D139 through D203, D209 through D223; P/N 369D21100-517 with S/N H664, H665, H667, H669, H671, H672, H674, H676, H679, H680, H683 through H724, H726 through H999, J000 through J039, J041 through J055; or P/ N 369D21102-517 with S/N 1976 through 2100, 2106 through 2115, installed, certificated in any category. Note 1. This AD applies to each helicopter identified in the preceding applicability provision, regardless of whether it has been modified, altered, or repaired in the area subject to the requirements of this AD. For helicopters that have been modified, altered, or repaired so that the performance of the requirements of this AD is affected, the owner/operator must use the authority provided in paragraph (f) to request approval from the FAA. This approval may address either no action, if the current configuration eliminates the unsafe condition, or different actions necessary to address the unsafe condition described in this AD. Such a request should include an assessment of the effect of the changed configuration on the unsafe condition addressed by this AD. In no case does the presence of any modification, alternation, or repair remove any helicopter from the applicability of this AD.
This amendment supersedes an existing priority letter Airworthiness Directive (AD) 98-03-15, applicable to McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems (MDHS) Model 369, 369A, 369D, 369E, 369F, 369FF, 369H, 369HE, 369HM, 369HS, 500N, 600N, and OH-6 helicopters that currently requires an inspection for main rotor blade (blade) cracks and for missing or cracked adhesive or paint. This amendment requires the same inspections required by the existing priority letter AD but deletes the Model 369 (Army YOH-6A), specifies recording torque events (TE), and establishes a shorter retirement life for certain blades. This amendment is prompted by an accident in which a blade failed on a Model 369D helicopter due to fatigue cracks. The actions specified by this AD are intended to detect cracks that could lead to failure of the blade and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.
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.
