FAA orders emergency inspections of Sikorsky S-92 helicopters

Sikorsky S-92 helicopters must undergo inspections for every 10 hours in service under the terms of a new emergency airworthiness directive issued by the Federal Aviation Administration. The directive followed an alert service bulletin issued by Sikorsky that was prompted by a Dec. 28 incident in which an S-92 lost tail-rotor control during a landing on an offshore helideck in the North Sea.

Inspections following that and similar incidents found possible issues with at least four S-92 helicopters in the offshore fleet. Sikorsky, based in Stratford, said that “a small number of parts are being returned to Sikorsky for additional evaluation,” adding that “these findings do not constitute failure of the bearing.

“We appreciate the FAA”™s mandate of the inspection of the S-92 tail rotor pitch change shaft assembly as it supports the continued airworthiness of the S-92 fleet and our top priority, safety,” the company said.