Eurocopter Deutschland Gmbh EC135 P1 accident near Chicago, IL

On July 8, 2018, an Eurocopter Deutschland Gmbh EC135 P1 (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Chicago, IL. 3 people were seriously injured. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.

Date

July 8, 2018

Place

Chicago, IL

Aircraft

Eurocopter Deutschland Gmbh EC135 P1 · Helicopter

Injuries

0 fatal, 3 serious, 0 minor

Damage

Substantial

Position

41.715°N, 87.624°W

NTSB ID

20180708X00804

Official records · CEN18FA259

• Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation

Air traffic control records

• Flight Data Monitoring (Fdm) Device - Audio - Group Chairman's Factual Report: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
• FAA Air Traffic Control Package: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov

NTSB summary

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn July 7, 2018, about 2123 central daylight time, a Eurocopter Deutschland GMBH EC135 P1 helicopter, N312SA, impacted terrain during an autorotation near Chicago, Illinois. The pilot, flight paramedic, and flight nurse sustained serious injuries, and the patient was not injured during the accident. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, tailboom, and main rotor blades. The helicopter was registered to Bennett Aviation, LLC, Elmhurst, Illinois, and operated by Pentastar Aviation Charter under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 135 as an air ambulance flight. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and the flight was operated under a visual flight rules flight plan. The flight departed St. Mary Medical Center, Hobart, Indiana, at 2110, and was destined for Advocate Christ Medical Center, Oak Lawn, Illinois. Helicopter satellite tracking data and air traffic control information revealed the helicopter was traveling northwest from the St. Mary Medical Center on a direct route to Advocate Christ Medical Center about 1,000 ft above ground level (agl). About 5 miles southeast of Advocate Christ Medical Center, the helicopter turned to the right after the pilot requested to divert to the Gary International Airport (GYY), Gary, Indiana. About a minute later, the pilot declared a "mayday" and stated the helicopter was going down into a field. The helicopter came to rest upright in a grass area between the Interstate Highway 94 and Interstate Highway 57 interchange (see Figures

Probable cause

The pilot's inadvertent disabling of the No. 1 and No. 2 engines' electronic engine control systems, which resulted in engine and rotor overspeed conditions, a subsequent autorotation, and a hard landing. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's inexperience with the helicopter variant and the operator’s lack of a more robust helicopter differences training program.

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Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.