A EUROCOPTER 120B AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE REQUIRED INSPECTION WAS NOT ACCOMPLISHED CORRECTLY. INSPECTION AND RECORDS NOW CORRECTED.

Narrative

AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE #2001-04-12 REQUIRES THAT A 'COUPLING TUBE' ON OUR HELI HAVE A VISUAL INSPECTION EVERY 5 FLT HRS. OUR PLTS HAVE BEEN PERFORMING THE INSPECTION OF THE COUPLING TUBE SINCE WE TOOK DELIVERY OF THE ACFT. IN SEP/03; AN AMERICAN EUROCOPTER TECHNICAL REPRESENTATIVE STATED THAT THE 'COUPLING TUBE' INSPECTION TIME HAD BEEN INCREASED BY A MANUFACTURER'S ALERT SVC BULLETIN FROM 5 HRS TO 25 HRS. WITHOUT CONSULTING THE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE OR THE MANUFACTURER; I INSTRUCTED THE PLTS TO INCREASE THE INSPECTION INTERVALS ON THE 'COUPLING TUBE' TO 25 HRS. AT THE END OF SEP IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTN THAT WE WERE NOT FOLLOWING THE INSPECTION CRITERIA OF THE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE CORRECTLY. THE PLTS ARE NOW INSPECTING AND DOCUMENTING CRITERIA OF THE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE CORRECTLY. I HAVE SINCE APPLIED FOR AN ALTERNATE MEANS OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE WITH THE FAA. I THINK THAT THE REASON THAT THIS MISTAKE HAPPENED IS THAT I DID NOT GO BACK TO THE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE OR THE FAA FOR FURTHER CONSULTATION WHEN THE MANUFACTURER'S TECHNICAL REPRESENTATIVE MENTIONED THE INCREASE IN INSPECTION INTERVALS. WE HAVE HAD NO EVENTS OR PROBS WITH THE ERROR IN THE INSPECTION INTERVAL TIMES.