UNC Carolina Air Care - Non-injury incident

Date: Dec 18, 2007 1900 EST

Program: UNC Carolina Air Care
	UNC Hospitals
	101 Manning Drive
	Chapel Hill, NC
	27514

Type: BK117
Tail #: 118NC
Operator/Vendor: CJ / Air Methods

Weather: Not a factor

Team: Pilot, Flight Nurse, Fight Paramedic. No injuries reported. No patient. 

Description: 
	Pilot shift change at 1830. Information passed from day pilot to night
	pilot about aircraft having a brief slowing, drop in power with quick
	recovery on three take off's from that day. After third event the
	pilot discussed this event with a mechanic. There was an inspection of
	the aircraft with no specific issue identified. The aircraft did a
	retun take off from the main base back to it's satellite base. Night
	pilot on duty at 1830 with a mission request received. Aircraft
	lifted, shortly after take off the pilot made a decsion to put the
	aircraft in an aproach position to determin if the events described by
	the day pilot may reoccur. If any issues the pilot would abort the
	mission and take the aircraft off line. The aircraft had an unexpected
	response to the maneuver going into a  30 degree pitch. The pilot was
	able to make recovery and right the aircraft. The mission was aborted.
	The aircraft returned to base without further incident.

Additional Info: 
	The aircraft had returned from an extensive PM service 4 day's
	previously. The aircraft was flown from Pittsburgh PA to Fayettevill
	NC by a pilot who routinely works with the other aircraft and is not
	familiar with this aircraft. The next pilot to fly the aircraft makes
	a statement at the end of his shift to the oncoming crew that there is
	something different about the way the aircraft is flying. The next
	comment comes from a pilot who has a head cold, notes there is a
	difference in the handeling of the aircraft but attributes this to his
	cold effecting his senses. The following night this pilot receives the
	shift change brief about the 3 episodes and later states that he felt
	a sense of uneasyness after hearing the day pilot's comments but did
	not feel he had anything concrete to take the aircraft off line. This
	lead to his making the decision to put the aircraft in an approach
	position befor getting to far from base on their mission at 1900.
	After the event, the aircraft was evaluated by the mechanics, the
	"porpoising" effect was reproduced. The aircraft was trucked to
	Pittsburgh. A hydraulic pack which had been replaced during it's
	previous PM service was replaced again. The aircraft continued to have
	issues. Additional evaluation was completed. The aircraft was found to
	have a bearing block on top of the main gear box that was "going bad".
	This was replaced, there have been no further issues. The aircraft has
	been released back to the line and is expected back in NC within the
	next day or two

Source: Maggie O'Donnell Program Manager

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information with your program staff. If you have further questions, please
contact the CONCERN Coordinator, David Kearns at 800 525 3712 or email:
coordinator@concern-network.org.

Copyright 2007 ASTNA