S-92 crash: gearbox modification mandatory...

[Stratofreighter]

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DATE:26/01/10

SOURCE:Flightglobal.com

EASA mandates Sikorsky S-92A gearbox modification

By John Croft

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) today mandated that operators of Sikorsky S-92A helicopters replace the twin-engine 19-passenger helicopter’s main gearbox (MGB) oil filter assembly with a new design that is less prone to leaks.

“Investigation of recent incidents with S-92A helicopters has shown that loss of oil from the MGB filter was a factor in the sequence of events,” says EASA in the airworthiness directive (AD).

The most high profile MGB oil loss occurred on a Cougar Helicopters S-92A that crashed off the coast of Newfoundland in March 2009. Seventeen of the 18 passengers and crew onboard died as a result of the crash. Sikorsky earlier this month reached an out-of-court settlement for an undisclosed amount with the survivor and other families to close out a lawsuit filed against the airframer.

EASA is requiring operators to replace the existing single-piece oil filter with a two-piece design developed by Sikorsky within 100 flight hours or 60 days of 9 February.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) tomorrow will issue a proposed rulemaking that would require US operators of the helicopter to make the same changes within 60 days once finalized.