Company relief mechanic found that one of their EMS mbb BK117 helicopters had been operated over the tail rotor bolts' replacement time limits. The aircraft was grounded until replacement could be made.

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Attributes
ACN	512013
Time
Date	200105
Day	Mon
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Rain
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	MBB-BK 117A-1
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground : maintenance
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 65 flight time total : 12132 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	512013
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	maintenance : technician
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : acft records other other : 2
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other Other
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : repair performance deficiency : inspection
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

Since may/01, I made 17 flts in a helicopter which was unairworthy due to several bolts on the tail rotor not being replaced when they reached their landing cycle limit. 2 mechanics and 3 other pilots at our location also missed the fact that these bolts were no longer airworthy. The way to determine the airworthiness of parts on the helicopter is to check the aircraft total time with the removal time on the status sheets provided by the operator's home office. A mechanic working here on vacation relief discovered the problem yesterday after he had been here for 3 days. The aircraft was grounded until new bolts could be installed. I think complacency caused all of us to think that there were no unairworthy items on the helicopter. We each thought that the others were looking at the status sheets closely while none of us were doing a thorough job. Fortunately, there were no accidents or incidents caused by this overflt, but it sure made us all resolve to look at the maintenance records more closely.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMPANY RELIEF MECH FOUND THAT ONE OF THEIR EMS MBB BK117 HELIS HAD BEEN OPERATED OVER THE TAIL ROTOR BOLTS' REPLACEMENT TIME LIMITS. THE ACFT WAS GNDED UNTIL REPLACEMENT COULD BE MADE.

Narrative: SINCE MAY/01, I MADE 17 FLTS IN A HELI WHICH WAS UNAIRWORTHY DUE TO SEVERAL BOLTS ON THE TAIL ROTOR NOT BEING REPLACED WHEN THEY REACHED THEIR LNDG CYCLE LIMIT. 2 MECHS AND 3 OTHER PLTS AT OUR LOCATION ALSO MISSED THE FACT THAT THESE BOLTS WERE NO LONGER AIRWORTHY. THE WAY TO DETERMINE THE AIRWORTHINESS OF PARTS ON THE HELI IS TO CHK THE ACFT TOTAL TIME WITH THE REMOVAL TIME ON THE STATUS SHEETS PROVIDED BY THE OPERATOR'S HOME OFFICE. A MECH WORKING HERE ON VACATION RELIEF DISCOVERED THE PROB YESTERDAY AFTER HE HAD BEEN HERE FOR 3 DAYS. THE ACFT WAS GNDED UNTIL NEW BOLTS COULD BE INSTALLED. I THINK COMPLACENCY CAUSED ALL OF US TO THINK THAT THERE WERE NO UNAIRWORTHY ITEMS ON THE HELI. WE EACH THOUGHT THAT THE OTHERS WERE LOOKING AT THE STATUS SHEETS CLOSELY WHILE NONE OF US WERE DOING A THOROUGH JOB. FORTUNATELY, THERE WERE NO ACCIDENTS OR INCIDENTS CAUSED BY THIS OVERFLT, BUT IT SURE MADE US ALL RESOLVE TO LOOK AT THE MAINT RECORDS MORE CLOSELY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.