Emergency Order Issued by FAA for Bell 505 Helicopters Due to Safety Concerns
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a new airworthiness directive for specific models of Bell Textron Canada Limited Model 505 helicopters. This action follows the discovery of a critical safety flaw that could lead to a total loss of control. The emergency measure, initially issued as AD 2026-05-51 on March 6, 2026, has now been officially published in the Federal Register. The directive will be effective from April 16, 2026.
This directive was triggered by the malfunction of a hinge assembly on the aft movable ballast box assembly. This defect could potentially allow ballast weights to escape the ballast box and hit the tail rotor assembly during flight. The issue affects Bell Model 505 helicopters with serial numbers 65011 and subsequent, equipped with ballast box assembly part numbers SLS-706-201-207 or SLS-706-201-207FM.
The FAA’s action is in response to Transport Canada Emergency AD CF-2026-12, issued on March 3, 2026. This was after Bell identified potential plastic deformation and improper pin engagement in the door hinge knuckles. The emergency AD necessitates operators to revise the Limitations section of the existing rotorcraft flight manual. This is to prohibit the use of ballast weights within the aft movable ballast box assembly.
The Bell 505 Jet Ranger X, launched in 2017 as the modern successor to Bell’s renowned JetRanger series, is a five-seat light helicopter. It is used for a variety of operations including training, private ownership, tourism, and law enforcement. Over 500 units have been produced as of 2025.
Source: Federal Register