Service difficulty report · Drive Shaft · Bell 407

Difficulty date
December 17, 2012
Submitted
September 14, 2015
Operation
General aviation
Make and model
Bell 407
Engine
Allsn 250C47B
Part
Drive Shaft
Part number
407040325101
Condition
Cracked
Location
Tail Rotor
Part time
14,491 hours
Stage of operation
NR
How discovered
9
Nature of condition
O
Precautionary procedure
O

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

What was found

(CAN) DURING AN INSPECTION ON 1 OF OUR 407 ACFT, A CRACK WAS DISCOVERED IN A FLANGE OF THE NR 3 TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT AT THE BOLT HOLE. THIS PROMPTED US TO IMPOSE AN INSPECTION FOR CRACKS ON THE REST OF OUR FLEET. THIS INSPECTION REVEALED 5 ADDITIONAL CRACKS IN TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT FLANGES. OF THE 6 THAT WE FOUND IN TOTAL, 5 WERE ON NR 3 SHAFTS AND 1 WAS ON A NR 4 SHAFT. ALL CRACKS WERE BASICALLY IN THE SAME LOCATION.

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