Ad/Bell 206/176 Amdt 1 - Cyclic Control Lever Assembly Installation (Cth)

AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

On the effective date specified below, and for the reasons set out in the background section, the CASA delegate whose signature appears below revokes Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/BELL 206/176 and issues the following AD under subregulation 39.001(1) of CASR 1998.  The AD requires that the action set out in the requirement section (being action that the delegate considers necessary to correct the unsafe condition) be taken in relation to the aircraft or aeronautical product mentioned in the applicability section: (a) in the circumstances mentioned in the requirement section; and (b) in accordance with the instructions set out in the requirement section; and (c) at the time mentioned in the compliance section.

Bell Helicopter Textron Canada (BHTC) 206 and Agusta Bell 206 Series Helicopters

AD/BELL 206/176 Amdt 1 Cyclic Control Lever Assembly Installation 12/2009 DM

Applicability:

Model 206A helicopters, all serial numbers.

Model 206B series helicopters, all serial numbers, including those converted from Model 206A.

Bell 206L series helicopters, all serial numbers.

Requirement:

For helicopters with less than 50 flight hours in service or with a cyclic lever assembly installed within the last 50 flight hours:

Perform a one time inspection and if required, rectification, of the cyclic lever assembly installation, in accordance with accomplishment instructions provided in Bell Alert Service bulletin 206-09-121 Revision C, dated 7 July 2009 (For Models 206A and 206B) or Bell Alert Service bulletin 206L-09-155 dated 10 March 2009, as applicable.

Note:  Transport Canada AD CF-2009-10R1 refers.

Compliance:

Within 10 flight hours after 30 September 2009, but no later than 30 calendar days after the effective date of this Directive; unless already accomplished.

This Amendment becomes effective on 30 September 2009.

Background:

An incorrectly installed bearing Part Number 206-301-051-101, in the co-pilot cyclic control lever assembly has been discovered during manufacturing.  It is possible, that an incorrectly installed bearing could be found in any aircraft with a recently installed cyclic control lever assembly.

Amendment 1 is issued in response to a new Transport Canada AD, which requires compliance with Revision C of ASB 206-09-121 as the original issue did not list inspection of the bearing installed on lever assembly part number 206-001-339-015.

David Villiers
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority

28 September 2009