Action
Final rule; request for comments.
Summary
This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the specified Eurocopter France helicopters. This action requires inspecting certain electrical harnesses for damage and if damage is found, repairing the electrical harness; protecting the electrical harness from damage; installing harness clamp blocks; and inspecting each fairing attachment screw to determine the length and replacing attachment screws, if they exceed a certain length. This amendment is prompted by a report of an in-flight incident that led to the inflation of the emergency floatation gear (emergency floats) and the activation of various warnings. The actions specified in this AD are intended to prevent interference between an electrical harness and the lower structure fairing attachment screws. Damage to an electrical harness by a lower structure fairing attachment screw could lead to short- circuiting of various warnings, inflation of the emergency floats during flight, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.