Airworthiness Directives; Lucas Air Equipment Electric Hoists

This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to Lucas Air Equipment electric hoists (hoists) installed on, but not limited to, all models of Eurocopter France SA-360 and SA- 365 helicopters that requires visually inspecting the cable for damage before the next hoist operation, blanking (plugging) the electronic control box upper vent, and performing an end-of-travel procedure before each hoist operation. This amendment is prompted by several incidents of cable failures caused by dynamic overload on the winding- up limit due to uncontrolled excessive speed of the cable, which is normally regulated by the automatic speed-reducing mechanism or the operator. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent breaking of the cable, which could become entangled with a main rotor or tail rotor blade, and result in damage or separation of a rotor blade, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.