Gear Lights Showed 'Down, Locked, And Safe For Landing'

On May 8, 2020, about 2050 central daylight time, a Beechcraft 1900C, N31704, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near San Antonio, Texas. The airline transport pilot sustained no injury. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 cargo flight, as Ameriflight 1829. The operator reported that the flight departed the Corpus Christi International Airport (CRP), Corpus Christi, Texas, at 2004 with 631 lbs of cargo and a fuel load of 2,800 lbs. During the initial climb, the captain selected the landing gear handle to the UP position to retract the landing gear. The attempt was unsuccessful, and the captain attempted to cycle the landing gear handle once more yielding the same result. Following the second  unsuccessful gear retraction, the captain elected to leave the landing gear handle in the DOWN position and continued to the San Antonio International Airport (SAT), San Antonio, Texas, where more services would be availabl

AD 2020-11-07 Addreses Report Of Non-Conforming Main Rotor (M/R) Hub Lead-Lag Bolts

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for MD Helicopters Inc., (MDHI) Model 369D, 369E, 369FF, 369H, 369HE, 369HM, 369HS, 500N, and 600N helicopters. This AD was prompted by a report of non-conforming main rotor (M/R) hub lead-lag bolts (bolts). This AD requires removing certain bolts from service. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products. This AD is effective June 30, 2020.

AD 2020-11-04 Issued To Mitigate Failure Of The Engine Thrust Reverser System

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Learjet Inc. Model 60 airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report of a reverse thrust command accelerating the airplane instead of decelerating the airplane. The acceleration with reverse thrust commanded occurred when the thrust reverser doors were in the stowed position instead of the deployed position. This AD requires installing a thrust reverser (T/R) Voice Command Warning System (VCWS) to alert the crew of a T/R malfunction. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products. This AD is effective June 25, 2020.

AD 2020-11-05 Requires Repetitive Inspections Of The Tail Rotor Hub Body

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus Helicopters Model EC120B helicopters. This AD was prompted by a report of recurrent loss of tightening torque on several attachment bolts of the tail rotor hub body. This AD requires repetitive inspections of the tail rotor hub body for cracks and applicable corrective actions if necessary, and repetitive replacement of the attachment bolts, washers, and nuts of the tail rotor hub body. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products. This AD becomes effective June 8, 2020.

Missions Covered Approximately 500 Nautical Miles

MD Helicopters, Inc. (MDHI) has been flying humanitarian aid missions in a company-owned MD 520N supporting the fight against COVID-19. An MDHI pilot flew the first mission in one of the Company’s helicopters to the Navajo Nation, whose border is approximately 150 miles north of MDHI’s Mesa, AZ base of operations. The Navajo Nation covers 27,000 square miles that can be logistically challenging for transport of goods due to terrain and obstacles throughout its vast expanse.

Wrote DOT & FAA Urging Drone Use in COVID-19 Response

In a letter to DOT Secretary Elaine Chao and FAA Administrator Stephen Dickson, Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) have called on the DOT and FAA to pursue pathways for the expedited use of drones to address key gaps in the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) response efforts. Specifically, the Senators highlight the need to promote access to key health care essentials for constituents that do not have direct access to needed medications, personal protective equipment (PPE), and other essential supplies by way of an accelerated pathway toward expanded beyond visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) operations.