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An AS355 twinstar helicopter was dispatched and operated for 500 hours over life limited mandatory parts replacement time.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 522659 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200108 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdv.artcc |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | AS 355 Twinstar |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | ground : maintenance |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 1500 flight time type : 700 |
| ASRS Report | 522659 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | maintenance : technician |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | other |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : logbook entry |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Chart Or Publication Company Maintenance Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Maintenance Human Performance |
Narrative:
I wish to report that my unit discovered that 2 life limited components of 2 AS355N helicopter's were not replaced at 1000 hours. Manufacturer's service recommendations required this action. Our contract maintenance provider overlooked these items during the 1000 hour inspection. 1 item was the tail rotor bellcrank, the other was require replacement of 12 bolts on the main rotor head anti-vibe unit. To me these are major items. This discovery was made after my unit hired our own maintenance personnel. 500 hours had elapsed over the life limit of 1000 hours. No defects noted on items removed. I do not know whether or not this matter requires notification to the FAA/local FSDO. I am concerned as the operator I could be in violation for non-reporting. I can find no legal requirement to report the matter and my supervisor recommends against reporting. Parts were all replaced by maintenance staff with new parts. I am very happy items were discovered/replaced. Disappointed with contract maintenance outfit.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN AS355 TWINSTAR HELI WAS DISPATCHED AND OPERATED FOR 500 HRS OVER LIFE LIMITED MANDATORY PARTS REPLACEMENT TIME.
Narrative: I WISH TO RPT THAT MY UNIT DISCOVERED THAT 2 LIFE LIMITED COMPONENTS OF 2 AS355N HELI'S WERE NOT REPLACED AT 1000 HRS. MANUFACTURER'S SVC RECOMMENDATIONS REQUIRED THIS ACTION. OUR CONTRACT MAINT PROVIDER OVERLOOKED THESE ITEMS DURING THE 1000 HR INSPECTION. 1 ITEM WAS THE TAIL ROTOR BELLCRANK, THE OTHER WAS REQUIRE REPLACEMENT OF 12 BOLTS ON THE MAIN ROTOR HEAD ANTI-VIBE UNIT. TO ME THESE ARE MAJOR ITEMS. THIS DISCOVERY WAS MADE AFTER MY UNIT HIRED OUR OWN MAINT PERSONNEL. 500 HRS HAD ELAPSED OVER THE LIFE LIMIT OF 1000 HRS. NO DEFECTS NOTED ON ITEMS REMOVED. I DO NOT KNOW WHETHER OR NOT THIS MATTER REQUIRES NOTIFICATION TO THE FAA/LCL FSDO. I AM CONCERNED AS THE OPERATOR I COULD BE IN VIOLATION FOR NON-RPTING. I CAN FIND NO LEGAL REQUIREMENT TO RPT THE MATTER AND MY SUPVR RECOMMENDS AGAINST RPTING. PARTS WERE ALL REPLACED BY MAINT STAFF WITH NEW PARTS. I AM VERY HAPPY ITEMS WERE DISCOVERED/REPLACED. DISAPPOINTED WITH CONTRACT MAINT OUTFIT.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.