Airworthiness Directives; Apical Industries, Inc., (Apical) Emergency Float Kits

This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the Apical emergency float kits installed on certain model helicopters under supplemental type certificates. This AD requires adding placards on each side of the fuselage to identify the location and operation of the liferaft external inflation handle. This AD also requires replacing each liferaft operation placard to state that external liferafts are installed. This amendment is prompted by a report of a helicopter that crashed into the water, and the pilot did not deploy the floats and liferafts. Two external T-handles were available for deployment of the liferafts but were not used by the passengers because they were unaware of their location. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent helicopter occupants from further injury due to unnecessary exposure to harsh water conditions and to aid in deploying liferafts when liferafts are available on the helicopter and can be activated after a water landing.