WASHINGTON (AP) _ Federal safety officials are grounding 2,800 Bell helicopters in a search for improperly installed bearings that could cause the co-pilot controls to malfunction.
Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Laura Brown says the agency wants operators of three types of helicopters to visually inspect a bearing in the co-pilot cyclic controls.
The part must be replaced if it was improperly installed. The helicopters are Bell models 407 and 427, and the 206 A, B and L series.
Greg Hubbard with Fort Worth-based Bell Helicopter says the company discovered the problem last week when trying to deliver a new helicopter. He expects the FAA to issue a new advisory limiting the grounding to less than 110 newer helicopters.