# AD 2002-09-04: Tip Block and Tip Closure - Type: Airworthiness directive - Status: Historical - Products: Bell Helicopter Textron 205A, 205A-1, 205B, 212, 412, 412CF and 412EP - Effective: June 7, 2002 - Published: May 3, 2002, 67 FR 22349–22350 - Issued: April 22, 2002 - Issued as: Final rule - Superseded by: [AD 2007-22-02](https://openairdocs.org/ad/2007-22-02) - Product type: Aircraft, Rotorcraft - Amendment: 39-12737 - Docket: 2001-SW-37-AD - Registered aircraft: 206 may be affected, by airframe or engine model (OpenAirDocs) - Official PDF: https://openairdocs.org/files/sha256/f0/43/f04373a898f7749846c7d44451b15a09eaf2fdb844a131bac218f59e478f1668 (from https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2002-05-03/pdf/02-10650.pdf) - Federal Register: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2002/05/03/02-10650/airworthiness-directives-bell-helicopter-textron-inc-model-205a-205a-1-205b-212-412-412ep-and-412cf - FAA DRS: https://drs.faa.gov/browse/excelExternalWindow/5FB9B1CC1DCBD41D86256BAE005EFF96.0001 - DRS record last changed: August 7, 2025 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ad/2002-09-04 ## Summary This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. (BHTI) Model 205A, 205A-1, 205B, 212, 412, 412EP, and 412CF helicopters, that requires inspecting each affected tail rotor blade forward tip weight retention block (tip block) and the aft tip closure (tip closure) for adhesive bond voids, and removing any tail rotor blade with an excessive void from service. This AD also requires modifying certain tail rotor blades by installing shear pins and tip closure rivets. This amendment is prompted by five occurrences of missing tip blocks or tip closures resulting in minor to substantial damage. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent loss of a tip block or tip closure, loss of a tail rotor blade, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter. ## The airworthiness directive ### Adoption of the Amendment Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, the Federal Aviation Administration amends part 39 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) as follows: 1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows: ## Rule preamble ### Dates Effective June 7, 2002. The incorporation by reference of certain publications listed in the regulations is approved by the Director of the Federal Register as of June 7, 2002. ### Addresses The service information referenced in this AD may be obtained from Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc., P.O. Box 482, Fort Worth, Texas 76101, telephone (817) 280-3391, fax (817) 280-6466. This information may be examined at the FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Room 663, Fort Worth, Texas; or at the Office of the Federal Register, 800 North Capitol Street, NW., suite 700, Washington, DC. ### For further information contact Michael Kohner, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, Rotorcraft Directorate, Rotorcraft Certification Office, Fort Worth, Texas 76193-0170, telephone (817) 222-5447, fax (817) 222-5783. ### SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION A proposal to amend 14 CFR part 39 to include an AD for BHTI Model 205A, 205A-1, 205B, 212, 412, 412EP, and 412CF helicopters was published in the Federal Register on November 28, 2001 (66 FR 59374). That action proposed to require inspecting the tip block and the tip closure for adhesive bonding voids, and removing any tail rotor blade with an excessive void from service. It also proposed to require modifying certain tail rotor blades by installing shear pins and tip closure rivets in the tip area of affected tail rotor blades. Interested persons have been afforded an opportunity to participate in the making of this amendment. No comments were received on the proposal or the FAA's determination of the cost to the public. The FAA has determined that air safety and the public interest require the adoption of the rule as proposed. The FAA estimates that 281 helicopters of U.S. registry will be affected by this AD, that it will take approximately 3 work hours per helicopter to inspect certain tail rotor blades and to install the shear pins and tip closure rivets, and that the average labor rate is $60 per work hour. Required parts will cost approximately $25 per helicopter. Based on these figures, the total cost impact of the AD on U.S. operators is estimated to be $57,605. The regulations adopted herein will not have a substantial direct effect on the States, on the relationship between the national Government and the States, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities among the various levels of government. Therefore, it is determined that this final rule does not have federalism implications under Executive Order 13132. For the reasons discussed above, I certify that this action (1) is not a “significant regulatory action” under Executive Order 12866; (2) is not a “significant rule” under DOT Regulatory Policies and Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979); and (3) will not have a significant economic impact, positive or negative, on a substantial number of small entities under the criteria of the Regulatory Flexibility Act. A final evaluation has been prepared for this action and it is contained in the Rules Docket. A copy of it may be obtained from the Rules Docket at the location provided under the caption ADDRESSES. ## Affected data sheets (2) (OpenAirDocs) The type certificate data sheets whose models the AD names. - [TCDS H4SW](https://openairdocs.org/tcds/H4SW): Bell Textron Inc.; names 4 of 4 models: 412CF, 212, 412EP, 412 - [TCDS H1SW](https://openairdocs.org/tcds/H1SW): Bell Textron Inc.; names 3 of 5 models: 205A, 205B, 205A-1 ## Registered aircraft it may apply to (OpenAirDocs) Matched by airframe and engine model; the AD's applicability may narrow it by serial number, part number or equipment. - Aircraft: 206 (206 by airframe model, 0 by engine model) - Makers: Bell 148, Bell Textron Canada 33, Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 17, Bell Helicopter Textron 6, Bell/Southwest Florida Aviatio 2 Models with the most aircraft: - [Bell 205A-1](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-205a-1): 56 aircraft (airframe model) - [Bell 212](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-212): 54 aircraft (airframe model) - [Bell Textron Canada 412EP](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-textron-canada-412ep): 33 aircraft (airframe model) - [Bell 412EP](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-412ep): 26 aircraft (airframe model) - [Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 412EP](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-helicopter-textron-canada-412ep): 17 aircraft (airframe model) - [Bell 412](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-412): 11 aircraft (airframe model) - [Bell Helicopter Textron 212](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-helicopter-textron-212): 5 aircraft (airframe model) - [Bell/Southwest Florida Aviatio 205 A1](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-southwest-florida-aviatio-205-a1): 2 aircraft (airframe model) - [Bell 205B](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-205b): 1 aircraft (airframe model) - [Bell Helicopter Textron 205A-1](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-helicopter-textron-205a-1): 1 aircraft (airframe model) All 10 models: https://openairdocs.org/ad/2002-09-04/models.md Every aircraft: https://openairdocs.org/ad/2002-09-04/aircraft.md ## Related documents - [AD 2007-22-02](https://openairdocs.org/ad/2007-22-02): Tail rotor blade (blade) forward tip weight retention block (tip block) and the aft tip closure (tip closure) · Bell Helicopter Textron 205A, 205A-1, 205B and 4 more. Effective Nov 30, 2007. Supersedes this AD - [Proposed rule 2001-SW-37-AD](https://openairdocs.org/proposed/2001-SW-37-AD): Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), published Nov 28, 2001 Its text cites no advisory circulars or STCs. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.