Pilot And Co-Pilot Controls May Have Been Improperly Installed

The FAA has issued an emergency AD for AgustaWestland AW139 helicopters based on EASA  AD No. 2012-0213-E, dated October 16, 2012, to correct an unsafe condition for certain Agusta Model AW139 helicopters (pictured below in file photo). EASA advises that an incident of an incorrectly installed pilot’s collective stick, pilot’s cyclic stick, and co-pilot’s cyclic stick was reported. This condition, if not detected and corrected, could lead to in-flight detachment of the cyclic or collective sticks and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

A Technical Bulletin issued by AgustaWestland describes procedures to inspect the pilot’s and co-pilot’s collective and cyclic sticks for the correct installation of bolts, washers, self-locking nuts, cotter pins, ring nuts, and quick release pins. If any collective or cyclic stick is incorrectly installed, the BT requires reinstalling the affected control stick.

The FAA's EAD requires, within 5 hours time-in-service (TIS):

• Inspecting the pilot collective and cyclic control sticks for the correct installation of the attachment bolts, washers, self-locking nuts, and cotter pins. If the installed hardware is not as prescribed in this EAD, before further flight, reinstalling the pilot collective or cyclic control stick.
• Inspecting the co-pilot collective and cyclic control sticks for the correct installation of the ring nuts and quick-release pins. If the installed hardware is not as prescribed in this EAD, before further flight, reinstalling the co-pilot collective or cyclic control stick.

The FAA said it is issuing this AD following the evaluation of all information provided by EASA and determined the unsafe condition exists and is likely to exist or develop on other helicopters of the same type design. (FAA diagram below)

FMI: EAD