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B407 director of maintenance ignored as to why a 60 month maintenance inspection of tail rotor drive components was not completed. Was asked for a written explanation by an FAA maintenance inspector.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 557868 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200208 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Bell 47 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | ground : parked |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | other personnel other |
| Qualification | technician : airframe technician : powerplant |
| ASRS Report | 557868 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | other personnel other |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other other : 2 |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | faa : assigned or threatened penalties faa : investigated other |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : inspection performance deficiency : scheduled maintenance performance deficiency : testing |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Company Maintenance Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Company |
Narrative:
The aircraft tail rotor drive components were approaching the 60 month interim inspection interval. It was obvious we would exceed this time limit before the end of our season. The extent of the inspection caused me to delay accomplishing it until season was over -- 4 months beyond limit. Upon reviewing far 91.409, I was confident this could be done without any paperwork from bell or FAA. 1 month beyond time limit, I was pressed for written backup of my decision. FAA airworthiness inspector directed me to far 43.156, which has an exception for rotorcraft -- forcing a part 91 operator to follow chapter 5, in addition to the annual inspection requirements. Approval was granted by both bell and FAA FSDO without any concerns -- other than aircraft truly was unairworthy and being dispatched.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B407 DIRECTOR OF MAINT IGNORED AS TO WHY A 60 MONTH MAINT INSPECTION OF TAIL ROTOR DRIVE COMPONENTS WAS NOT COMPLETED. WAS ASKED FOR A WRITTEN EXPLANATION BY AN FAA MAINT INSPECTOR.
Narrative: THE ACFT TAIL ROTOR DRIVE COMPONENTS WERE APCHING THE 60 MONTH INTERIM INSPECTION INTERVAL. IT WAS OBVIOUS WE WOULD EXCEED THIS TIME LIMIT BEFORE THE END OF OUR SEASON. THE EXTENT OF THE INSPECTION CAUSED ME TO DELAY ACCOMPLISHING IT UNTIL SEASON WAS OVER -- 4 MONTHS BEYOND LIMIT. UPON REVIEWING FAR 91.409, I WAS CONFIDENT THIS COULD BE DONE WITHOUT ANY PAPERWORK FROM BELL OR FAA. 1 MONTH BEYOND TIME LIMIT, I WAS PRESSED FOR WRITTEN BACKUP OF MY DECISION. FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR DIRECTED ME TO FAR 43.156, WHICH HAS AN EXCEPTION FOR ROTORCRAFT -- FORCING A PART 91 OPERATOR TO FOLLOW CHAPTER 5, IN ADDITION TO THE ANNUAL INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS. APPROVAL WAS GRANTED BY BOTH BELL AND FAA FSDO WITHOUT ANY CONCERNS -- OTHER THAN ACFT TRULY WAS UNAIRWORTHY AND BEING DISPATCHED.
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.