Airworthiness Directives; MD Helicopters, Inc. Model MD900 Helicopters
type: Action
additional type: https://schema.org/LegalForceStatus
description: This amendment supersedes an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for MD Helicopters, Inc. (MDHI) Model MD900 helicopters. That AD currently requires visually inspecting the main rotor lower hub assembly (lower hub) for a crack, and if you find a crack, before further flight, replacing the unairworthy lower hub with an airworthy lower hub. Additionally, within 10 days of finding a cracked lower hub, the existing AD requires reporting the finding to the Los Angeles Aircraft Certification Office (LAACO). That AD was prompted by two reports of cracks detected in the hub in the area near the flex beam bolt hole locations during maintenance on two MDHI Model MD900 helicopters. Since we issued that AD, we determined that one manufacturer had incorrectly inserted flanged bushings into the lower hub bore that resulted in local corrosion, leading to fatigue cracking. Examination of lower hubs from the other manufacturer shows correct bushing installation. Therefore, this amendment limits the applicability to the affected lower hubs; retains the visual inspection but at a different compliance time; adds an eddy current inspection; retains the requirement to replace a cracked lower hub with an airworthy lower hub before further flight; and removes the requirement to report to the LAACO. The actions specified by this AD are intended to detect a crack in the lower hub and prevent failure of the lower hub and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.
date published: 2011-07-15
start time: 2011-08-01
agent: Federal Aviation Administration
  type: GovernmentOrganization
  parent organization: US Department of Transportation
object: MD
citation: DigitalDocument
license: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/
source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2011/07/15/2011-17421/airworthiness-directives-md-helicopters-inc-model-md900-helicopters
source organization: US Federal Register
publisher: AI Analytics

PropertyValue
property ID: Federal Register Document Number
value: 2011-17421

PropertyValue
property ID: Federal Register Citation
value: 76 FR 41662

PropertyValue
property ID: FAA Docket
value: Docket No. FAA-2011-0695

AI Analytics
type: Organization