# Accident 20240919016619A: Agustawestland Philadelphia Co AW119MKII, Canandaigua, NY, September 19, 2024

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 19, 2024, 20:07 local time
- Place: Canandaigua, NY
- Airport: Canandaigua
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: 2NSA
- Location: 42.9111° N, 77.3206° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.9111&lon=-77.3206&mi=10
- Aircraft: N281MC, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N281MC) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Agustawestland Philadelphia AW119MKII (registry code 0260401, https://openairdocs.org/model/agustawestland-philadelphia-aw119mkii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6B-37A (registry code 52179, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pt6b-37a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AGUSTAWESTLAND PHILADELPHIA CO AW119MKII
- Reported engine: P&W CANADA PT6B-37A
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 1,799 total, 135 in this make and model, 57 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA24LA387](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA387) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240919016619A

## Narrative

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

ON SEPTEMBER 20, 2024, AT APPROXIMATELY 0007 HOURS, AN AIR AMBULANCE HELICOPTER CARRYING A PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS EXPERIENCED A TAIL STRIKE AND HARD LANDING AT CANANDAIGUA AIRPORT (IUA) IN CANANDAIGUA, NY. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED IN A GRASSY FIELD NEAR THE HANGAR. WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR), AND THE PILOT WAS FLYING USING NIGHT VISION GOGGLES (NVG).

THE EVIDENCE INDICATES THAT DURING THE APPROACH, THE HELICOPTER’S TAIL STRUCK THE GROUND, LEADING TO A LOSS OF CONTROL AND RESULTING IN A HARD LANDING. THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO THE HELICOPTER AND NO INJURIES TO THE PILOT OR 2 PASSENGERS.

## 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 ERA24LA387](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA387), Sep 20, 2024: Agustawestland Philadelphia AW119MKII (N281MC), Canandaigua, NY, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s excessive descent rate during the final approach for landing and his delayed recovery attempt, resulting in a hard landing.

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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