Aircraft
Certification Service Washington, DC U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration
AIR-22-03
March 3, 2022
This is information only. Recommendations
aren’t mandatory.
Introduction
This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) alerts owners
and operators of Robinson Helicopter Company Model R22-series,
R44-series, and R66 helicopters equipped with an optional Emergency
Locator Transmitter (ELT) that the ELT may come loose from its mounting
bracket. The affected ELT installation is for the Kannad Integra AF
Model S1851501-02 ELT manufactured by Orolia S.A.S (formerly Kannad)
based in France.
At this time, the airworthiness concern is not an unsafe condition that
would warrant airworthiness directive (AD) action under Title 14 of the
Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 39.
Background
A field report was received that an operator of a Robinson Model R44
helicopter made an immediate precautionary landing after hearing
banging sounds coming from the helicopter’s gearbox compartment. Upon
landing, the pilot discovered the ELT out of its mounting bracket and
loose in the compartment. The hook and loop retention strap supplied
with the ELT had torn allowing the ELT to come loose. Newer Robinson
installations incorporate a secondary strap, but in this case that
strap was also loose and did not retain the ELT after the failure of
the primary hook and loop strap. The hook and loop strap and ELT both
contacted the drive train, and the ELT was destroyed. This was the
source of the noise heard by the pilot. The drive train sustained only
cosmetic damage. The hook and loop retention strap had failed at the
fusion weld where the strap folds back on itself to capture the metal
buckle.
On May 23, 2012, in response to instances of ELTs breaking loose during
accidents, the FAA published SAIB-HQ-12-32 with recommendations that
ELT manufacturers ensure their Instructions for Continued Airworthiness
(ICA) include appropriate installation procedures, inspection
procedures, and replacement intervals for installations with hook and
loop straps. In addition, TSO-C126 for ELTs was updated to disallow the
use of hook and loop retention for newer designs.
On June 30, 2021 Robinson issued Service Letters SL-92, SL-81, and
SL-39 for R22-series, R44-series, and R66 helicopters respectively,
providing periodic inspection procedures for the ELT installation and
instructions to ensure that older installations are upgraded to include
a properly installed secondary strap.
Recommendations
We recommend owners/operators of Robinson Model R22-series, R44-series,
and R66 helicopters with an optional Kannad ELT comply with
recommendations made in accordance with FAA SAIB HQ-12-32 for any
maintenance performed on the ELT.
We also recommend owners/operators of Robinson Model R22-series,
R44-series and R66 helicopters with an optional Kannad ELT installed
comply with R22 Service Letter SL-92, R44 Service Letter SL-81, and R66
Service Letter SL-39, dated June 30, 2021.
For Further Information Contact
Thanh Tran, Aerospace Engineer, 3960 Paramount Blvd, Lakewood, CA
90712, United States; phone: (562) 627-5304; fax: (562) 627-5210;
e-mail: thanh.b.tran@faa.gov.
For Related Service Information Contact
Robinson Helicopter Company, 2901 Airport Drive, Torrance, CA 90505;
telephone 310-539-0508; fax 310-539-5198; or at
https://www.robinsonheli.com.