Airworthiness Directives; Various Helicopters
Key claim: Operators of listed Airbus and Leonardo helicopters must replace rescue hoist assemblies that may have a defective overload clutch and may not install those affected hoists unless FAA conditions are met.
Abstract
(Rule · Transportation Department, Federal Aviation Administration) The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus Helicopters Model H160-B, EC225LP, AS 365 N3, and AS332L2 helicopters; all Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH Model EC135P1, EC135P2, EC135P2+, EC135P3, EC135T1, EC135T2, EC135T2+, EC135T3, and EC635T2+ helicopters; all Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH Model MBB-BK 117 C-2, MBB-BK 117 D-2, and MBB-BK 117 D-3 helicopters; and all Leonardo S.p.A. Model AB139, AW109SP, AW139, AW169, and AW189 helicopters. This AD was prompted by reports that certain rescue hoist assemblies may have been equipped with a non-conformant overload clutch assembly. This AD requires replacing each affected rescue hoist assembly with a serviceable rescue hoist assembly. This AD also prohibits installing an affected rescue hoist assembly unless certain requirements are met. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
Why this matters
Rescue hoists are safety-critical on helicopters used for EMS, search-and-rescue, and utility lifting; a defective overload clutch could cause the hoist to fail under load and injure or drop a hoisted person. This AD narrows allowable hardware on affected Airbus and Leonardo models and continues FAA’s pattern of using ADs to remove nonconforming components from the operating fleet.