Airworthiness Directive 2002-15-07
one-timeAirworthiness Directives; MD Helicopters, Inc., Model MD900 Helicopters
What this AD requires
This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) for MD Helicopters, Inc., Model MD900 helicopters that requires, for the lateral-mixer bellcrank assembly (bellcrank), establishing a life limit, creating a component history card or equivalent record, determining the hours time-in-service (TIS), and applying a serial number (S/N). This amendment is prompted by additional testing that revealed that the original load test to establish the life limits of the bellcrank did not accurately represent the actual loading. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent fatigue failure of the bellcrank and subsequent loss of lateral control of the helicopter.
Which aircraft AD 2002-15-07 applies to
Establishes a 13,300-hour TIS life limit for lateral-control bellcrank P/N 900C2010203-105 per MD Helicopters SB 900-084; model family '900' inferred from the SB number and part-number prefix (e.g., MD 900 Explorer), not stated as literal model text.
Whether AD 2002-15-07 actually applies to your aircraft (by serial and installed parts) and whether it’s already complied with comes from that aircraft’s records.
How AD compliance is recorded
A valid compliance record (14 CFR 43.9) states:
Tailplate reads a tail number’s logbooks and matches every applicable AD — including this one — to its compliance evidence, with recurring next-due dates computed.
Look up a tail number →Read the full directive (Federal Register)Applicability is derived from the FAA directive corpus and is advisory, not a legal airworthiness determination. Compliance is established only from an aircraft’s actual records.