AD 2020-23-07 Airworthiness Directives; Leonardo S.p.a. Helicopters

This AD becomes effective December 4, 2020.

(1) The Manager, Rotorcraft Standards Branch, FAA, may approve AMOCs for this AD. Send your proposal to: Daniel E. Moore, Aviation Safety Engineer, Regulations & Policy Section, Rotorcraft Standards Branch, FAA, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy., Fort Worth, TX 76177; telephone 817-222-5110; email 9-ASW-FTW-AMOC-Requests@faa.gov. (2) For operations conducted under a 14 CFR part 119 operating certificate or under 14 CFR part 91, subpart K, the FAA 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.

The subject of this AD is addressed in European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD No. 2020-0185, dated August 19, 2020. You may view the EASA AD on the internet at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating it in Docket No. FAA-2020-0987.

(1) For helicopters with a right-hand (RH) or left-hand (LH) life raft reservoir (reservoir) P/N 3G2560V01951 or P/N 3G2560V01251 and with a serial number (S/N) listed in Table 1 of the Leonardo Helicopters Alert Service Bulletin No. 139-648, dated August 10, 2020 (ASB 139-648), within 25 hours time-in-service (TIS), remove each affected reservoir from service. (2) For helicopters with a RH or LH reservoir P/N 3G2560V01951 or P/N 3G2560V01251 and with an S/N not listed in Table 1 of ASB 139-648 installed, within 25 hours TIS or before the reservoir accumulates 55 total hours TIS since first installation on a helicopter, whichever occurs later, inspect the valve pull rod of each reservoir by following paragraphs 3. through 5.1, of the Accomplishment Instructions, part II, of ASB 139-648. If the measurement of the raft actuator cable (actuator cable) between the face of the pull rod and the back of the valve cap exceeds 68.5 mm, before further flight, replace the reservoir. (3) For helicopters with a RH or LH reservoir P/N 3G2560V01951 or P/N 3G2560V01251 and with an S/N not listed in Table 1 of ASB 139-648 installed, within 25 hours TIS, inspect the actuator cable of each reservoir by following paragraphs 3. through 5.1, of the Accomplishment Instructions, part III, of ASB 139-648. If the clearance between the sphere at the end of the actuator cable and the activation system exceeds 5.0 +0.00/−2.0 mm, before further flight, adjust the life raft actuator cable by following Annex A of ASB 139-648. (4) As of the effective date of this AD, do not install reservoir P/N 3G2560V01951 or P/N 3G2560V01251 with an S/N listed in Table 1 of ASB 139-648 on any helicopter. (5) As of the effective date of this AD, do not install a reservoir P/N 3G2560V01951 or P/N 3G2560V01251 with an S/N other than an S/N listed in Table 1 of ASB 139-648 on any helicopter unless you have complied with the requirements in paragraph (e)(3) of this AD.

This AD defines the unsafe condition as inadvertent activation and deployment of the emergency life raft (raft). This condition could result in the deployment of the raft during flight, separation of the raft with possible impact on the rotors, and subsequent reduced control of the helicopter.