Service difficulty report · Nut · Bell 430

Difficulty date
February 9, 2009
Submitted
April 2, 2009
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N522MV
Make and model
Bell 430
Aircraft serial
49079
Aircraft time
967 hours, 2,065 cycles
Engine
Allsn 250C40B
Part
Nut
Part number
222012717001
Condition
Loose
Location
Tail Rotor
Part time
967 hours, 2,065 cycles
Stage of operation
IN
How discovered
V
Nature of condition
O
Precautionary procedure
K

As reported to the FAA. Reports are unverified, and codes are left as the FAA publishes them.

What was found

DURING COURSE OF SCHEDULED INSP, NUT RETAINING THE TAIL ROTOR PITCH CHANGE CONTROL BEARING WAS FOUND TO BE LOOSE ALLOWING BEARING INNER RACE TO SPIN ON ITS SEAT. BEARING RETAINING NUT PN 222-012-717-001 IS PREVENTED FROM MOVING BY THE USE OF A LOCKRING PN 222-012-721-001. THIS LOCKRING IS ATTACHED TO THE BEARING RETAINING NUT WITH (2) SCREWS AND PREVENTED FROM ROTATING WITH THE ENGAGEMENT OF (3) TANGS INTO SLOTS IN THE CROSSHEAD. THE NUT IS THEN LOCKED BY BENDING THE LOCKRING INTO SLOTS IN THE NUT. IN THIS CASE, THE LOCKRING WAS NOT BENT TO RETAIN THE NUT. THIS IS THE SECOND INCIDENT WE HAVE OBSERVED OF FAILURE TO BEND THE LOCKRING INTO THE NUT. IT IS OUR FEELING THAT THIS IS A DESIGN PROBLEM. NORMALLY THE SCREWS WOULD RETAIN THE NUT, BUT THERE IS AN EXTRA STEP IN THIS CASE. THE LOCK RING SHOULD BE REDESIGNED SO THAT THE SCREWS WILL BE THE RETAINING FEATURE OR AT MINIMUM A NOTE SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE OVERHAUL MANUAL ALERTING THE TECH TO THE EXTRA STEP.

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