What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
A Eurocopter Deutschland Gmbh EC135T1, N109BC, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Pompano Beach, Florida. The commercial pilot sustained minor injuries. One paramedic onboard and a resident of an apartment building were fatally injured, while a second paramedic onboard was seriously injured. The helicopter was operated as a title 14 code of federal regulations part 135 air medical flight.
The pilot reported that the helicopter was dispatched to transport a patient from the scene of an automobile accident. During initial climb, west of Pompano Beach airpark
(Pmp), Pompano Beach, Florida, about 300 to 400 ft above ground level, the pilot heard a “bang” from the rear of the helicopter and noticed that the turbine outlet temperature (tot) was rising on the no. 1 engine. He set the no.1 engine throttle to idle, declared an emergency to air traffic control, and reversed direction to return to the airport. He scanned the cockpit instrument panel and noticed that the no.1 engine fire button had illuminated. He pressed the
Button to activate the fire suppression system; however, the tot continued to rise on the no. 1 engine. The pilot subsequently heard a second “bang,” and was unable to control the helicopter. It spun and descended into an apartment building.
As the FAA filed it
A EUROCOPTER DEUTSCHLAND GMBH EC135T1, N109BC, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT NEAR POMPANO BEACH, FLORIDA. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. ONE PARAMEDIC ONBOARD AND A RESIDENT OF AN APARTMENT BUILDING WERE FATALLY INJURED, WHILE A SECOND PARAMEDIC ONBOARD WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. THE HELICOPTER WAS OPERATED AS A TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 135 AIR MEDICAL FLIGHT.
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE HELICOPTER WAS DISPATCHED TO TRANSPORT A PATIENT FROM THE SCENE OF AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT. DURING INITIAL CLIMB, WEST OF POMPANO BEACH AIRPARK
(PMP), POMPANO BEACH, FLORIDA, ABOUT 300 TO 400 FT ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, THE PILOT HEARD A “BANG” FROM THE REAR OF THE HELICOPTER AND NOTICED THAT THE TURBINE OUTLET TEMPERATURE (TOT) WAS RISING ON THE NO. 1 ENGINE. HE SET THE NO.1 ENGINE THROTTLE TO IDLE, DECLARED AN EMERGENCY TO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL, AND REVERSED DIRECTION TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. HE SCANNED THE COCKPIT INSTRUMENT PANEL AND NOTICED THAT THE NO.1 ENGINE FIRE BUTTON HAD ILLUMINATED. HE PRESSED THE
BUTTON TO ACTIVATE THE FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM; HOWEVER, THE TOT CONTINUED TO RISE ON THE NO. 1 ENGINE. THE PILOT SUBSEQUENTLY HEARD A SECOND “BANG,” AND WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE HELICOPTER. IT SPUN AND DESCENDED INTO AN APARTMENT BUILDING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.