AD 2003-01-04 68 FR 1955 Superseded

This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the specified Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. (BHTI) model helicopters. This action requires conducting various inspections associated with the main rotor grip (grip). If a crack is found, this AD requires replacing the grip before further flight. If delamination of the buffer pad on the grip tang inner surface is found, this AD requires inspecting the grip surface for corrosion or other damage and repairing or replacing the grip if corrosion or other damage is found. This AD also requires determining and recording the hours time-in-service (TIS) and the engine start/stop cycles for each grip on a component history card or equivalent record. Also, this action requires reporting certain inspection results and information to the FAA. This amendment is prompted by the discovery of 13 grips that cracked in the lower tang, three of which cracked in flight. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent failure of a grip, separation of a main rotor blade, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.