Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. Model 214B and 214B-1 Helicopters

This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. (BHTI) Model 214B and 214B-1 helicopters. This action requires, within 10 hours time-in-service (TIS), determining the hours TIS for certain main rotor outboard strap fitting assemblies and creating appropriate records. This action also requires, if any main rotor outboard strap fitting assembly (strap fitting) is determined to have 2,500 or more hours TIS or the hours TIS cannot be determined, replacing the strap fitting with an airworthy strap fitting before further flight. This action also establishes a 2,500-hour retirement life for the strap fitting and revises the Airworthiness Limitations section accordingly. This amendment is prompted by fatigue testing that indicates a fatigue crack may occur in the strap fitting with resulting failure. The actions specified in this AD are intended to prevent failure of a strap fitting, separation of a main rotor blade, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.