Summary
This document proposes to revise an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for Bell Helicopter Textron Canada (BHTC) Model 206L, 206L-1, and 206L-3 helicopters with certain part-numbered tailbooms. That AD currently requires a visual inspection of the tailboom skin in the areas around the nutplates and in the areas of the tailboom drive shaft cover retention clips for cracks and corrosion using a 10-power or higher magnifying glass until the tailboom is replaced with an airworthy tailboom. This action would require the same actions as the existing AD but would allow a longer interval for the repetitive inspections if the tailboom is modified. Replacement with an airworthy tailboom other than a part-numbered tailboom affected by this proposal would constitute terminating action for the requirements of this AD. The existing AD was prompted by an accident and several reports of fatigue cracks in the tailboom skin in the areas around the nutplates for the tail rotor fairing and inthe areas of the tail rotor drive shaft cover retention clips. These proposed actions are intended to prevent failure of the tailboom and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.