# Incident 20241010014599I: Eurocopter Deutschland Gmbh EC135T2, Lakeland, FL, October 10, 2024

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 10, 2024, 20:58 local time
- Place: Lakeland, FL
- Airport: Lakeland Linder International
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: QMLA
- Location: 27.9876° N, 82.0190° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at LAKELAND LINDER INTL (LAL), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.9876&lon=-82.0190&mi=10
- Aircraft: N273AM, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N273AM) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Eurocopter Deutschland EC135T2 (registry code 5620032, https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-deutschland-ec135t2) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL series (registry code 60031, https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-arriel-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: EUROCOPTER DEUTSCHLAND GMBH EC135T2
- Reported engine: TURBOMECA ARRIEL SERIES
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 9,662 total
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20241010014599I

## Narrative

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

WHILE CONDUCTING NIGHT OPERATIONS IN SUPPORT OF HURRICANE MILTON, AIRCRAFT (HELICOPTER) ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, CALL SIGN "AC5", WAS FLYING FROM LAKELAND AIRPORT (LAL) TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ (PCM). APPROXIMATELY ONE (1) MILE NORTHWEST OF LAL, AT FLIGHT LEVEL THE AIRCRAFT SUFFERED A BIRD STRIKE TO THE PILOT'S WINDSCREEN. THE IMPACT OCCURED WHILE AT APPROXIMATELY 115 KTS INDICATED, AND AT APPROXIMATELY 1500 FT MSL. THE PILOT WAS WEARING NIGHT VISION GOGGLES (ANVS-9), AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS EQUIPED WITH NVG COMPATIBLE COCKPIT LIGHTING. THE AIRCRAFT DIVERTED / RETURNED TO LAL POST BIRD STRIKE. NO INJURIES. NO FATALITIES.  MINOR DAMAGE TO THE WINSCREEN ONLY.

NIGHT VMC CONDITIONS: WINDS: 350 AT 8 KTS, VIS: 10SM, CEILING 3500 BROKEN

## Other reports on N273AM (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20230913011479A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230913011479A), Sep 13, 2023: Eurocopter Deutschland Gmbh EC135T2 (N273AM), Fargo, GA, Substantial damage. After departing middle Georgia regional airport the aircraft destination was to gainesville, FL. The aircraft was enroute for approximatly one hour when the…

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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