AD 2016-04-15 Airworthiness Directives; MD Helicopters Inc., Helicopters

This AD becomes effective March 31, 2016.

(1) The Manager, Los Angeles Aircraft Certification Office, FAA, may approve AMOCs for this AD. Send your proposal to: Galib Abumeri, Aviation Safety Engineer, Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA, 3960 Paramount Blvd., Lakewood, California 90712; telephone (562) 627-5324 or email at 9-ANM-LAACO-AMOC-REQUESTS@faa.gov. (2) For operations conducted under a 14 CFR part 119 operating certificate or under 14 CFR part 91, subpart K, we suggest that you notify your principal inspector, or lacking a principal inspector, the manager of the local flight standards district office or certificate holding district office before operating any aircraft complying with this AD through an AMOC.

Aerometals Service Bulletin Aero-SB-1103, dated July 2, 2014, and Aerometals Aero-ICA-101 Supplemental Instructions for Continued Airworthiness, Revision NC, dated May 22, 2014, which are not incorporated by reference, contain additional information about the subject of this final rule. For service information identified in this final rule, contact Aerometals, 3920 Sandstone Dr., El Dorado Hills, CA 95762, telephone (916) 939-6888, fax (916) 939-6555, www.aerometals.aero. You may review a copy of this service information at the FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy, Room 6N-321, Fort Worth, TX 76177.

(1) Within 100 hours time-in-service (TIS) or during the next annual inspection, whichever occurs first: (i) Review the maintenance records and determine the hours TIS of each pin P/N 369X1004-5 and whether there is a pin life limit listed in the Airworthiness Limitations Section of the applicable maintenance manual or Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (ICA). If the hours TIS on a pin is unknown, remove the pin from service. (ii) For Model 369A, 369HE, 369HM, and 369HS helicopters, if there is no pin life limit, establish a new life limit of 5,760 hours TIS for each pin P/N 369X1004-5 by making pen-and-ink changes or by inserting a copy of this AD into the Airworthiness Limitations Section of the maintenance manual or the ICA. Remove from service any pin that has 5,760 or more hours TIS. (iii) For Model 369D, 369E, 369FF, 500N, and 600N helicopters, if there is no pin life limit, establish a new life limit of 7,600 hours TIS for each pin P/N 369X1004-5 by making pen-and-ink changes or by inserting a copy of this AD into the Airworthiness Limitations Section of the maintenance manual or the ICA. Remove from service any pin that has 7,600 or more hours TIS. (iv) For all model helicopters, add the following statement to the Airworthiness Limitations Section of the maintenance manual or the ICA by making pen-and-ink changes or by inserting a copy of this AD: If interchanged between different model helicopters, the life limit of pin P/N 369X1004-5 must be restricted to the lowest life limit indicated for the helicopter models and serial numbers affected. (2) Do not install a pin P/N 369X1004-5 on any helicopter before the requirements of this AD have been accomplished.

This AD defines the unsafe condition as a pin remaining in service beyond its fatigue life. This condition could result in failure of a pin, loss of a main rotor blade, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.