Narrative:

While in cruise flight at 3699 ft MSL doing an in-flight main rotor tracking; the pilot's door window explosively popped out. This flight was only the second flight after a one year completion. The window (seal) was replaced under an augusta bulletin 139-087. I forwarded pictures to augusta engineers in hopes that they will find a solution; as this is not this first time this has happened.callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that on helicopters; the captain's seat is the right fwd seat position; not the left side. The window that explosively popped out was the right fwd side window next to the captain's seat. This same window and pressure seal was recently replaced under an agusta service bulletin # 139-087. Reporter stated he believes the other windows in this rotorcraft have the same design installation as the pilot's side window that utilize only a pressure seal to secure the windows in place. The service ceiling of this helicopter is 20000 ft. Agusta engineers took the left and right entry doors for evaluation. The mfg believes the pressure seal can be installed backwards when following the service bulletin procedures. Language translations and interpretation of the maintenance manual is an ongoing concern. Further analysis of the seal installation will be conducted. Reporter also stated his company helicopter does not have the traditional fwd and aft sliding entry doors; but actual hinge type doors. However; the doors on the aw-139 are not designed for emergency exiting; only the windows are and this is accomplished by removing a string cord around the window(south) and pushing outward for egress. The older type -76 helicopters used the sliding entry doors as emergency egress because the windows were riveted or screwed in place. This newer aw-139 rotorcraft can carry 15 passengers in a high density configuration. Aw-139's used for offshore are equipped with floatation bags around different areas of the fuselage that are activated by water contact when the arming switch is on.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AGUSTA AW-139 EXECUTIVE HELICOPTER CAPTAIN'S RIGHT DOOR WINDOW EXPLOSIVELY POPPED OUT IN FLIGHT AT 3600 FT.

Narrative: WHILE IN CRUISE FLT AT 3699 FT MSL DOING AN INFLT MAIN ROTOR TRACKING; THE PLT'S DOOR WINDOW EXPLOSIVELY POPPED OUT. THIS FLT WAS ONLY THE SECOND FLT AFTER A ONE YEAR COMPLETION. THE WINDOW (SEAL) WAS REPLACED UNDER AN AUGUSTA BULLETIN 139-087. I FORWARDED PICTURES TO AUGUSTA ENGINEERS IN HOPES THAT THEY WILL FIND A SOLUTION; AS THIS IS NOT THIS FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED.CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED THAT ON HELICOPTERS; THE CAPTAIN'S SEAT IS THE RIGHT FWD SEAT POSITION; NOT THE LEFT SIDE. THE WINDOW THAT EXPLOSIVELY POPPED OUT WAS THE RIGHT FWD SIDE WINDOW NEXT TO THE CAPTAIN'S SEAT. THIS SAME WINDOW AND PRESSURE SEAL WAS RECENTLY REPLACED UNDER AN AGUSTA SVC BULLETIN # 139-087. REPORTER STATED HE BELIEVES THE OTHER WINDOWS IN THIS ROTORCRAFT HAVE THE SAME DESIGN INSTALLATION AS THE PILOT'S SIDE WINDOW THAT UTILIZE ONLY A PRESSURE SEAL TO SECURE THE WINDOWS IN PLACE. THE SERVICE CEILING OF THIS HELICOPTER IS 20000 FT. AGUSTA ENGINEERS TOOK THE LEFT AND RIGHT ENTRY DOORS FOR EVALUATION. THE MFG BELIEVES THE PRESSURE SEAL CAN BE INSTALLED BACKWARDS WHEN FOLLOWING THE SERVICE BULLETIN PROCEDURES. LANGUAGE TRANSLATIONS AND INTERPRETATION OF THE MAINT MANUAL IS AN ONGOING CONCERN. FURTHER ANALYSIS OF THE SEAL INSTALLATION WILL BE CONDUCTED. REPORTER ALSO STATED HIS COMPANY HELICOPTER DOES NOT HAVE THE TRADITIONAL FWD AND AFT SLIDING ENTRY DOORS; BUT ACTUAL HINGE TYPE DOORS. HOWEVER; THE DOORS ON THE AW-139 ARE NOT DESIGNED FOR EMERGENCY EXITING; ONLY THE WINDOWS ARE AND THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED BY REMOVING A STRING CORD AROUND THE WINDOW(S) AND PUSHING OUTWARD FOR EGRESS. THE OLDER TYPE -76 HELICOPTERS USED THE SLIDING ENTRY DOORS AS EMERGENCY EGRESS BECAUSE THE WINDOWS WERE RIVETED OR SCREWED IN PLACE. THIS NEWER AW-139 ROTORCRAFT CAN CARRY 15 PASSENGERS IN A HIGH DENSITY CONFIGURATION. AW-139'S USED FOR OFFSHORE ARE EQUIPPED WITH FLOATATION BAGS AROUND DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE FUSELAGE THAT ARE ACTIVATED BY WATER CONTACT WHEN THE ARMING SWITCH IS ON.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.