# Accident 20180707009279A: Eurocopter Deutschland Gmbh EC135P1, Chicago, IL, July 7, 2018

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 7, 2018, 21:23 local time
- Place: Chicago, IL
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: UG8A
- Location: 41.7153° N, 87.6244° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.7153&lon=-87.6244&mi=10
- Aircraft: N312SA, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N312SA-2021-01-09) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Eurocopter Deutschland EC135P1 (registry code 8680990, https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-deutschland-ec135p1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PW206A (registry code 52151, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pw206a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: EUROCOPTER DEUTSCHLAND GMBH EC135P1
- Reported engine: P&W CANADA PW206A
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 3
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 3,334 total, 319 in this make and model, 22 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN18FA259](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18FA259) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180707009279A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON JULY 7, 2018, APPROXIMATELY 2123 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A EUROCOPTER EC135 P1 IMPACTED TERRAIN DURING AN EMERGENCY AUTOROTATION FOLLOWING A DUAL ENGINE FAILURE WHILE TRANSPORTING A PATIENT NEAR CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. THE PILOT AND PARAMEDIC RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES, WHILE THE FLIGHT NURSE SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES.  THE PATIENT WAS NOT INJURED DURING THE ACCIDENT. THE HELICOPTER INCURRED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE, TAILBOOM, AND MAIN ROTOR BLADES. THE HELICOPTER WAS REGISTERED TO BENNETT AVIATION, LLC, AND OPERATED BY PENTASTAR AVIATION CHARTER AS A PART 135 ON DEMAND 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 (HOBART HOSPITAL ACCORDING TO THE PILOT), AT 2110, AND WAS DESTINED FOR ADVOCATE CHRIST MEDICAL CENTER (CHRIST HOSPITAL CHICAGO ACCORDING TO THE PILOT), OAK LAWN, ILLINOIS.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS TRAVELING NORTHWEST AT ABOUT 1700 FEET AGL WHEN THE PILOT REQUESTED A TURN BACK FROM ATC TOWARDS GARY, INDIANA.  A SHORT TIME LATER THE PILOT DECLARED A MAYDAY AND STATED THAT THE HELICOPTER WAS GOING DOWN INTO A FIELD.  THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST UPRIGHT BETWEEN INTERSTATE 94 AND INTERSTATE 57.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN18FA259](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18FA259), Jul 8, 2018: Eurocopter Deutschland EC135 P1 (N312SA), Chicago, IL, substantial damage. 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…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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