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August 03, 2021

NTSB Prelim: PZL Mielec M18

The Left Wing Had Separated And Was Located About 120 Ft Northeast Of The Main Wreckage

On July 12, 2021, about 0940 central daylight time, a PZL Mielec M-18A “Dromader” airplane, N9310R, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Seiling, Oklahoma. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 aerial application flight. The airplane impacted a pasture about 1/2-mile north of the field being worked. The main wreckage consisted of the fuselage, engine, right wing, and empennage. A ground impact depression, oriented toward the northwest, was located immediately adjacent to the main wreckage. The left wing had separated and was located about 120 ft northeast of the main wr

AD 2021-15-14 Prompted By Multiple Events Involving Failure Of The Tail Boom Attach Structure Including The Bolts

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for various restricted category helicopters, originally manufactured by Bell Textron Inc. (Bell). This AD was prompted by multiple events involving failure of the tail boom attach structure including the bolts. This AD requires revising the existing Rotorcraft Flight Manual (RFM) for your helicopter to incorporate preflight checks; removing paint and sealant, and cleaning; repetitive inspections of structural components that attach the tail boom to the fuselage; and depending on the outcome of the inspections, repairing or replacing components, or re-bonding the structure. The FAA