# AD 55-16-01: Tail Rotor Hub Fillet - Type: Airworthiness directive - Status: Current - Products: Scotts-Bell 47 47, 47B, 47B3, 47D, 47D1, 47E, 47G, 47G-2, 47G-2A, 47G-2A-1, 47G-3, 47G-3B and 12 more - Superseded by: Nothing supersedes this AD - Product type: Aircraft, Rotorcraft - Registered aircraft: 490 may be affected, by airframe or engine model (OpenAirDocs) - FAA DRS: https://drs.faa.gov/browse/excelExternalWindow/C2D248D2B7869B6386256A34004F3201.0001 - DRS record last changed: May 30, 2024 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ad/55-16-01 ## The airworthiness directive 55-16-01 BELL: Applies to All Model 47 Helicopters With 47-641-025-1 or 47-641-057- 1 Tail Rotor Hubs, and All Spares. Compliance required prior to next flight. Recent serious accidents have been caused by failure of the tail rotor hubs P/N 47-641- 025-1 and 47-641-057-1. Imperfections such as corrosion, tool marks, scratches, and pitting in the fillet set up stress concentrations which cause failure of the hub spindle. Consequently, immediate and complete inspection of the fillet area of the tail rotor hub must be accomplished as follows: 1. Inspect the inboard fillet area on both spindles of the hub for accuracy of the radius using a 10-power magnifying glass. Fillets must have a true continuous radius all around the spindles and also must have a smooth machine finish free of corrosion and pitting. When inspected under a magnifying glass, tool marks appear greatly exaggerated, and by a smooth machine finish is meant having extremely fine, uniform, closely-spacedand uninterrupted tool marks. No copper plating is allowed in the fillet. 2. Hubs not meeting these requirements must be replaced. (Bell Service Bulletin No. 96, Revision B dated July 15, 1955, covers this subject.) (This covers the same inspection as the CAA telegram of July 13, 1955.) ## Affected data sheets (3) (OpenAirDocs) The type certificate data sheets whose models the AD names. - [TCDS 2H3](https://openairdocs.org/tcds/2H3): Scott's-Bell 47 Inc; names 11 of 11 models: 47G-2A, 47G-3B, 47G-3, 47G-4A, 47G-5A, 47G-5, 47G-3B-2A, 47G-3B-2… - [TCDS H-1](https://openairdocs.org/tcds/H-1): Scott's-Bell 47 Inc; names 9 of 9 models: 47H-1, 47B, 47B3, 47D1, 47D, 47G-2, 47G, 47… - [TCDS 2H1](https://openairdocs.org/tcds/2H1): Scott's-Bell 47 Inc; names 4 of 4 models: 47K, 47J-2, 47J-2A, 47J ## 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: 490 (490 by airframe model, 0 by engine model) - Makers: Bell 476, Bell-K-Copter 3, Bell Kitz Kopters 1, Bell-Allied Helicopter 1, Bell-Carson 1, Bell-Huddleston And Wilson 1, Bell-Intermountain 1, Bell-Olympic Helicopters 1, Bell-Shippey 1, Bell-Tellijohn 1 Models with the most aircraft: - [Bell 47G-2](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47g-2): 87 aircraft (airframe model) - [Bell 47G-3B-1](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47g-3b-1): 86 aircraft (airframe model) - [Bell 47G](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47g): 55 aircraft (airframe model) - [Bell 47D1](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47d1): 47 aircraft (airframe model) - [Bell 47G-5](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47g-5): 40 aircraft (airframe model) - [Bell 47G-3B-2](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47g-3b-2): 26 aircraft (airframe model) - [Bell 47G-4A](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47g-4a): 20 aircraft (airframe model) - [Bell 47G-2A](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47g-2a): 19 aircraft (airframe model) - [Bell 47G-5A](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47g-5a): 19 aircraft (airframe model) - [Bell 47G-3B](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47g-3b): 15 aircraft (airframe model) - [Bell 47G-2A-1](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47g-2a-1): 13 aircraft (airframe model) - [Bell 47G-4](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47g-4): 13 aircraft (airframe model) - [Bell 47G3B2A](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47g3b2a): 7 aircraft (airframe model) - [Bell 47H-1](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47h-1): 6 aircraft (airframe model) - [Bell 47J](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47j): 6 aircraft (airframe model) - [Bell 47J-2](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47j-2): 6 aircraft (airframe model) - [Bell 47J-2A](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47j-2a): 5 aircraft (airframe model) - [Bell 47D](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47d): 4 aircraft (airframe model) - [Bell-K-Copter 47G](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-k-copter-47g): 2 aircraft (airframe model) - [Bell 47B](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-47b): 1 aircraft (airframe model) All 35 models: https://openairdocs.org/ad/55-16-01/models.md Every aircraft: https://openairdocs.org/ad/55-16-01/aircraft.md 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.