Attention:
Owners, operators and maintainers of McDonnell Douglas Model 369D, 369E, 369F, 369H, 500N, and 600N Helicopters
| File Classification No.: | Z 5000-35 |
|---|---|
| RDIMS No.: | 18389035 |
| Document No.: | CASA 2022-03 |
| Issue No.: | 01 |
| Effective Date: | 2022-06-01 |
Purpose:
The purpose of this Civil Aviation Safety Alert (CASA) is to raise awareness of reported cracks in the anti-torque (tail rotor) bracket assemblies, installed on McDonnell Douglas (MD) model 369D, 369E, 369F, 369H, 500N, and 600N helicopters.
Background:
Transport Canada has been made aware of an event on an MD model 369E helicopter. The pilot encountered an issue with tail rotor pedals during flight and made an emergency approach to the airport. The helicopter was able to land without incident. After shutdown, the pilot noticed the anti-torque (tail rotor) bracket support had broken off.
MD Helicopters Inc. has issued Service Letter No. SL369D-139, SL369E-093, SL369F-084, SL369H-155, SL500N-040 and SL600N-034 to advise owners and operators of a cracking issue of the anti-torque (tail rotor) bracket assemblies and recommend examination of the right-hand (RH) and left-hand (LH) anti-torque bracket assemblies during pre-flight and maintenance inspections to ensure there are no cracks or excessive wear, especially near the attachment point for the bracket.
Recommended action
Transport Canada recommends that owners, operators, and maintainers familiarize themselves with MD Service Letter No. SL369D-139, SL369E-093, SL369F-084, SL369H-155, SL500N-040 and SL600N-034, and carefully examine the RH and LH anti-torque (tail rotor) bracket assemblies during pre-flight and maintenance inspections to ensure there are no cracks or excessive wear, especially near the attachment point for the bracket as identified in Figure 1 of the Service Letter.
Contact office:
For more information concerning this issue, contact a Transport Canada Centre; or contact Junaid Ahmed Butt, Continuing Airworthiness in Ottawa, by telephone at 1-888-663-3639, by facsimile at 613-996-9178 or by e-mail at TC.CAWWEBFEEDBACK-retroactionWebMDLN.TC@TC.GC.CA.
Original signed by
Daniel Gosselin
Acting Chief, Continuing Airworthiness
National Aircraft Certification
Cracks in the Anti-torque Bracket Assemblies
(PDF, 170 KB)
The Transport Canada Civil Aviation Safety Alert (CASA) is used to convey important safety information and contains recommended action items. The CASA strives to assist the aviation industry's efforts to provide a service with the highest possible degree of safety. The information contained herein is often critical and must be conveyed to the appropriate office in a timely manner. The CASA may be changed or amended should new information become available.