Service difficulty report · Gimbal Joint · Bolkms BK117A3

Difficulty date
December 15, 2001
Submitted
January 30, 2002
Operation
Air carrier
Aircraft
N532KH
Make and model
Bolkms BK117A3
Aircraft serial
7069
Part
Gimbal Joint
Part number
019059
Condition
Cracked
Location
Search Light
Part time
5,616 hours
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

GIMBAL ARM CRACKED COMPLETELY THROUGH AT RIVETS CAUSING SEARCHLIGHT TO BECOME LOOSE ON ONE SIDE. LIGHT WAS RESTRAINED ONLY BY THE SAFETY CABLE AND OTHER SIDE ARM OF GIMBAL. RIGHT AFT PASSENGER DOOR GAS SUPPORT STRUT DISCONECTED FROM BALL SOCKET. INBOARD AND PUSHED THROUGH TRIM PANEL DURING DOOR CLOSING, WHICH IN TURN PUSHED AGAINST THE RIGHT LATERAL CYCLIC CONTROL ROD CAUSING THE BIND. THIS CONTROL ROD CONNECTS THE CYCLIC STICK TO THE MIXING UNIT THEN TO THE MAIN ROTOR SERVO. GAS STRUT WAS RECONNEDTED AND SAFETIED. DUCT WAS REPOSITIONED TO PROVIDE CLEARANCE BETWEEN DUCT AND CONTROL ROD. INSTRUCTIONS WERE GIVEN TO ENSURE GAS SPRING IS ATTACHED DURING DOOR CLOSING.