AD 2004-24-08 69 FR 69810 Active

This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the specified Bell Helicopter Textron Canada (BHTC) model helicopters. This action requires an initial inspection and, at specified intervals, certain repetitive checks and inspections of the tail rotor blade (blade) for a deformation, a crack, and a bent or deformed tail rotor weight (weight). Also, this action requires, before further flight, replacing each blade with an airworthy blade if a deformation, a crack, or a bent or deformed weight is found. This amendment is prompted by three reports of skin cracks originating near the blade trailing edge balance weight. This condition, if not detected, could result in blade failure and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.