Eurocopter Deutschland Gmbh EC 135 T2+ accident near La Crosse, WI
On May 11, 2008, an Eurocopter Deutschland Gmbh EC 135 T2+ (helicopter) was involved in an accident near La Crosse, WI. 3 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- May 11, 2008
- Place
- La Crosse, WI
- Aircraft
- Eurocopter Deutschland Gmbh EC 135 T2+ · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 3 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 43.842°N, 91.166°W
- NTSB ID
- 20080520X00702
Official records · CHI08FA128
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On May 10, 2008, about 2237 central daylight time, a Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH EC 135 T2+ air medical configured helicopter, N135UW, operated by Air Methods Corporation, was destroyed during an in-flight collision with trees and terrain near La Crosse, Wisconsin. The flight was conducted in accordance with 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. A flight plan had not been filed with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed in the vicinity of the accident site. The pilot, physician and flight nurse sustained fatal injuries. The flight departed the La Crosse Municipal Airport (LSE), La Crosse, Wisconsin, at 2234. The intended destination was the University of Wisconsin Hospital heliport (WS27) in Madison, Wisconsin. The helicopter was equipped with global positioning system (GPS) tracking equipment that provided departure, arrival and en route position information to the operator’s Operations Control Center (OCC). Flight progress was automatically updated approximately every three minutes and tracked by the operator’s OCC. According to the GPS flight-following data, the flight initially departed WS27 about 2038 en route to Prairie du Chien Memorial Hospital, Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. The flight arrived there about 2113 and picked up a patient. The flight subsequently departed about 2131 and proceeded to Gunderson-Lutheran Hospital in La Crosse, arriving about 2154. After dropping off the patient, the crew departed about 2209 and repositioned the helicopter to LSE for refueling. The flight departed LSE a
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from trees along the top of a ridgeline due to inadequate preflight planning, insufficient altitude, and the lack of a helicopter terrain awareness and warning system. Member Sumwalt did not approve this brief and probable cause. Member Sumwalt filed a dissenting statement that can be found in the public docket for this accident.
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Browse: Wisconsin
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
