# Accident 20250217000829A: Eurocopter Deutschland Gmbh EC135T2, Philadelphia, PA, February 17, 2025

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 17, 2025, 14:40 local time
- Place: Philadelphia, PA
- Airport: Thomas Jefferson University Ho
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: QMLA
- Location: 39.9333° N, 75.1500° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.9333&lon=-75.1500&mi=10
- Aircraft: N405TJ, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N405TJ) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Eurocopter Deutschland EC135T2 (registry code 5620032, https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-deutschland-ec135t2) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Turbomeca ARRIUS-2B2 (registry code 60012, https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-arrius-2b2) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: EUROCOPTER DEUTSCHLAND GMBH EC135T2
- Reported engine: TURBOMECA ARRIUS 2B2
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 3,310 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA25LA129](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA129) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250217000829A

## Narrative

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

^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HELICOPTER WAS TURNING FINAL FOR AN APPROACH TO LAND AT JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL LANDING PAD (9PA8). UPON TURNING ON TO FINAL, THE PILOT HEARD AND FELT AN IMPACT ABOVE HIS HEAD, AND THEN SAW AN OBJECT FALL PAST THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT. THIS WAS VERIFIED BY THE TWO NURSES THAT WERE PART OF THE CREW WHILE ON THE AIRCRAFT AT THE TIME OF THE IMPACT. ALL OPERATIONS OF THE AIRCRAFT WERE NORMAL AFTER THE IMPACT, AND THE PILOT PROCEEDED TO LAND WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. ONCE ON THE LANDING PAD THE PILOT NOTICED DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE, UPPER COWL AND MULTIPLE MAIN ROTOR BLADES. INVESTIGATORS WERE ABLE TO CONFIRM THE DAMAGE ONCE ON SCENE.

MULTIPLE IN-DEPTH SEARCHES WERE PERFORMED IN THE AREA FOR ANY EVIDENCE OF THE POSSIBLE OBJECT THAT MAY HAVE IMPACTED THE HELICOPTER. EACH SEARCH WAS UNSUCCESSFUL WITH FINDING ANY EVIDENCE.

## 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 ERA25LA129](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA129), Feb 17, 2025: Eurocopter Deutschland EC135T2 (N405TJ), Philadelphia, PA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The sUAS operator’s failure to see and avoid a helicopter, resulting in a midair collision between the helicopter and the sUAS.

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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