Sikorsky has issued an alert Service Bulletin for Sikorsky S-92s. An off-aircraft check of the pitch change shaft bearing must be completed on all Sikorsky S-92s before next flight, Sikorsky said.

The bulletin was prompted by the Dec. 28, 2016, incident when a CHC Sikorsky S-92 made an emergency landing due to loss of tail rotor authority at the Elgin and Franklin fields in the Central Graben Area of the North Sea.

“Although the investigation into the Dec. 28 incident has not been completed, Sikorsky released an alert Service Bulletin on Jan. 10 to define additional interim inspection requirements for the S-92 tail rotor pitch change shaft,” Sikorsky said. Sikorsky said the bearing  must be removed from the aircraft during inspection. If any concerns arise as a result, a field service representative should be contacted immediately or contact Sikorsky at 1-800-WINGED-S. The check must be done before next flight.

Sikorsky said it is working closely with the customer and investigative authorities to determine the root cause of the Dec. 28 incident. Sikorsky is currently briefing customers and we will provide updates as we get them.