20230402006579A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Airbus Helicopters EC 130 T2 · Chelsea, AL · April 2, 2023

Date: April 2, 2023 · 17:23 local
Place: Chelsea, AL
Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: QMLA
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N231SH
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA23FA175
Reported as: Airbus Helicopters EC 130 T2
Reported engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL-2D
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 2
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 8,950 total

N231SHRegistered now · Airbus Helicopters EC 130 T2S/N 7993 · Built 2014 Airframe modelAirbus Helicopters EC 130 T2 Engine modelTurbomeca ARRIEL-2DTurbo-shaft

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Aircraft impacted the ground in a nose down attitude. Aircraft sustained significant impact damage to the fuselage left forward section, left landing gear skid, main rotor and tailboom. Tailboom was structurally detached from the fuselage. A post-crash fire occurred in the engine compartment.

Aircraft was destroyed.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT IMPACT DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE LEFT FORWARD SECTION, LEFT LANDING GEAR SKID, MAIN ROTOR AND TAILBOOM. TAILBOOM WAS STRUCTURALLY DETACHED FROM THE FUSELAGE. A POST-CRASH FIRE OCCURRED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.

AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ERA23FA175Accident · 2 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportChelsea, ALThe pilot’s delayed corrective inputs while maneuvering, which resulted in a loss of control. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s use of multiple sedating medications.Apr 2, 2023 · Substantial damage