AD 2019-22-08 Airworthiness Directives; Leonardo S.p.A. Helicopters

This AD becomes effective January 7, 2020.

Special flight permits are prohibited.

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.

(1) Within 30 hours time-in-service (TIS), for Model AW169 helicopters, with access panels 470AT and 470BT removed; and for Model AW189 helicopters, with access panels 496A and 495A removed, inspect the T/R actuator input lever assembly by following the Accomplishment Instructions, paragraph 3.B. through 3.C.4., of UTC Aerospace Systems Service Bulletin 67-0007, Basic Issue, dated January 17, 2019 (SB 67-0007). (i) Report the information requested in the form at the end of SB 67-0007, along with a photo of each side of the installed T/R actuator back-end input lever, by email to: pse_aw189.mbx.aw@leonardocompany.com. Refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5 of SB 67-0007 for an example of each photo. (ii) If the width of the bearing circular collar of the input lever is within the allowable limits of 4 ±0.3 mm, the input lever pin head is not on side “A” of the T/R actuator as shown in Figure 2b of SB 67-0007 (the input lever pin head is on side “B”), and the nut and cotter pin of the intermediate bolt are installed on side “A” of the T/R actuator side as shown in Figure 3 of SB 67-0007, before further flight, mark “SB 67-0007” on the input lever with permanent ink as shown in Figure 4 of SB 67-0007. (iii) If the width of the bearing circular collar of the input lever is outside the allowable limits of 4 ±0.3 mm, the input lever pin head is on side “A” of the T/R actuator, or the nut and cotter pin of the intermediate bolt are not installed on side “A” of the T/R actuator side, before further flight, use Table 1 to paragraph (e)(1)(iii) of this AD for next instruction. ER23DE19.017 (iv) Before further flight, inspect for correct bonding (no axial or rotational relative movement compared to the lever) of each bearing by moving the input lever along the pin axial direction. (A) If there is no axial or rotational relative movement compared to the lever in both bearings, within 10 hours TIS after completing the inspections required by paragraph (e)(1) of this AD, remove from service the T/R actuator. (B) If there is axial or rotational relative movement compared to the lever in one or both bearings, before further flight, remove from service the T/R actuator. (v) Within 60 hours TIS after completing the inspections required by paragraph (e)(1) of this AD, remove from service the T/R actuator. (2) After the effective date of this AD, do not install a T/R actuator P/N 6F6730V00331 with an S/N up to 489 inclusive, except those marked with “SB 67-0007,” on any helicopter.

This AD defines the unsafe condition as incorrect installation of the T/R actuator back-end input lever. This condition could result in de-bonding and slippage of one or both of the two redundant lever bearings, a reduction or loss of T/R control, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.