# Incident 20260411010789I: Airbus Helicopters Deutschland EC135T3, Freeport, PA, April 11, 2026

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 11, 2026, 23:30 local time
- Place: Freeport, PA
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: E3MA
- Location: 40.6862° N, 79.6826° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Freeport, PA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.6862&lon=-79.6826&mi=10
- Aircraft: N537ME, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N537ME) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Airbus Helicopters Deutschland EC135T3 (registry code 5620038, https://openairdocs.org/model/airbus-helicopters-deutschland-ec135t3) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Safran ARRIUS-2B2 (registry code 59991, https://openairdocs.org/engine/safran-arrius-2b2) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIRBUS HELICOPTERS DEUTSCHLAND EC135T3
- Reported engine: SAFRAN ARRIUS 2B2
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 5,409 total
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260411010789I

## Narrative

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

DURING CRUISE FLIGHT (120 KTS / 1000 FEET AGL), A VERY SMALL BIRD THE SIZE OF A SPARROW, HIT THE LEFT CHIN BUBBLE ABOUT 3 INCHES BELOW THE SUPPORT BETWEEN THE WINDSCREEN AND THE CHIN BUBBLE.  BIRD REMNANTS HIT THE PEDALS AND MADE ITS WAY PAST THE COLLECTIVE ON THE COPILOT SIDE AND INTO THE BACK OF THE AIRCRAFT.  AIRCRAFT LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER ISSUE.  POST-INCIDENT INSPECTION BY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL REVEALED DAMAGE LIMITED TO THE BROKEN LEFT CHIN BUBBLE.   PILOT FILED FAA FORM 5200-7, BIRD AND OTHER WILDLIFE STRIKE REPORT, NUMBER 2026-04-14-083554, AS REQUESTED.

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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