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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 222 / Monday, November 22, 2021 / Rules and Regulations inspection and magnetic particle inspection results, this AD requires removing certain parts from service, replacing certain parts, and performing additional actions. This AD also requires recurring inspections of each M/R clevis and each universal bearing.
The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
DATES: This AD becomes effective December 7, 2021.
The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by reference of a certain document listed in this AD
as of December 7, 2021.
The FAA must receive comments on this AD by January 6, 2022.
ADDRESSES: You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR
11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
Fax: 202 4932251.
Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M
30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.
Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail address above between 9 a.m. and 5
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
For service information identified in this final rule, contact Bell Textron Canada Limited, 12,800 Rue de lAvenir, Mirabel, Quebec J7J 1R4, Canada;
telephone 14504372862 or 1800
3638023; fax 14504330272; email productsupport@bellflight.com; or at https www.bellflight.com/support/
contact-support. You may view this service information at the FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy., Room 6N321, Fort Worth, TX 76177. For information on the availability of this material at the FAA, call 817 222
5110. It is also available at https
www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No. FAA2021
1011.

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Examining the AD Docket You may examine the AD docket at https www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating Docket No.
FAA20211011; or in person at Docket Operations between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD docket contains this final rule, the Transport Canada AD, any comments received, and other information. The street address for Docket Operations is listed above.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Hal Jensen, Aerospace Engineer, Operational
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Safety Branch, Compliance &
Airworthiness Division, FAA, 950
LEnfant Plaza N SW, Washington, DC
20024; telephone 202 2679167; email hal.jensen@faa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background Transport Canada, which is the aviation authority for Canada, has issued Transport Canada AD CF2021
26, dated July 26, 2021 Transport Canada AD CF202126, to correct an unsafe condition for Bell Textron Canada Limited Model 430 helicopters, serial numbers 49001 through 49129.
Transport Canada advises of an in-flight failure of an M/R clevis which resulted in loss of control of the helicopter and fatal injuries to occupants. Transport Canada further advises that the M/R
clevis part number P/N 430010432
101 fractured at the exposed thread area above the nut, which was consistent with fatigue damage. Transport Canada also advises an inspection of the failed part determined universal bearing P/N
212010412001 of the M/R pitch link assembly had excessive wear and increased resistance to rotation.
Transport Canada states a similar accident previously occurred on the same model helicopter in which the M/
R clevis was found to have fractured at the neck area due to fatigue damage.
Transport Canada states the restriction in freedom of movement of the universal bearing can cause increased loads on the M/R pitch link assembly and subsequent fatigue failure of the M/
R clevis prior to its life limit. Finally, Transport Canada advises the accident investigation is still ongoing. This condition, if not addressed, could result in crack initiation at the M/R clevis neck or threaded area and failure of the M/R pitch link, resulting in loss of control of the helicopter.
Accordingly, Transport Canada AD
CF202126 requires visually inspecting the M/R clevis and rod end for wear and damage and performing corrective actions. Transport Canada AD
CF202126 also requires for certain part-numbered M/R rotor pitch link assemblies that have accumulated 5000
hours air time or less and have a universal bearing P/N 212010412001
that is unserviceable, replacing the universal bearing. Transport Canada AD
CF202126 requires for certain partnumbered M/R pitch link assemblies that have accumulated more than 5,000
hours air time and have a universal bearing P/N 212010412001 with signs of binding or stiffness, replacing both the universal bearing and the M/R
clevis or if the universal bearing is
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unserviceable but there are no signs of binding or stiffness, replacing only the universal bearing.
Transport Canada AD CF202126
requires performing a purge grease of each universal bearing and performing a magnetic particle inspection of the M/R
clevis to detect cracks, replacing any M/
R clevis with cracks, or if the M/R clevis does not have any cracks, replacing any missing cadmium plating.
Additionally, Transport Canada AD
CF202126 requires after the initial visual and magnetic particle inspections, performing recurring visual inspections of the M/R clevis for corrosion and mechanical damage and performing corrective actions as needed.
Transport Canada AD CF202126 also requires performing recurring visual inspections of the universal bearing for binding, stiffness, wear, damage looseness, excess axial and radial play, and performing corrective actions as needed. Transport Canada AD CF
202126 requires reporting any cracks or M/R clevises that are beyond published limits to Bell Product Support Engineering. Transport Canada considers its AD an interim action and states that further AD action may follow.
FAAs Determination These helicopters have been approved by the aviation authority of Canada and are approved for operation in the United States. Pursuant to the FAAs bilateral agreement with Canada, Transport Canada, its technical representative, has notified the FAA of the unsafe condition described in its AD. The FAA is issuing this AD after evaluating all known relevant information and determining that the unsafe condition described previously is likely to exist or develop on other helicopters of these same type designs.
Related Service Information Under 1
CFR Part 51
The FAA reviewed Bell Alert Service Bulletin 4302160, dated July 13, 2021.
This service information specifies procedures to visually inspect the M/R
clevis and rod ends for wear or damage, the M/R clevis for corrosion or mechanical damage and the universal bearings for binding, stiffness, wear, looseness, excess axial and radial play, and damage. This service information also specifies procedures to perform a magnetic particle inspection, and recurring inspections of each M/R clevis and each universal bearing.
This service information is reasonably available because the interested parties have access to it through their normal course of business or by the means identified in the ADDRESSES section.

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