# NTSB ERA25LA129: Eurocopter Deutschland EC135T2, N405TJ, Philadelphia, PA, February 17, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: February 17, 2025, 15:03 local (20:03 UTC)
- Place: Philadelphia, PA
- Coordinates: 39.933333, -75.15 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.9333&lon=-75.1500&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining events: [Approach: Midair collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250); [Maneuvering: Midair collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 4 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: BEA, FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 199768
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA25LA129
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/199768/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=199768
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA129

## Probable cause (aircraft 1)

The sUAS operator’s failure to see and avoid a helicopter, resulting in a midair collision between the helicopter and the sUAS.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Attention/monitoring: monitoring other aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021540): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot of other aircraft (probable cause), aircraft 1; cases with it: [Eurocopter Deutschland EC135T2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021540/cases.md?model=5620032), [All aircraft, 231 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021540/cases.md)
- [Attention/monitoring: monitoring other aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021540): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause), aircraft 2; cases with it: [All aircraft, 231 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021540/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Approach: Midair collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250) (defining event), aircraft 1; cases with it: [Eurocopter Deutschland EC135T2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250/sequence.md?model=5620032), [All aircraft, 196 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250/sequence.md)
- [Maneuvering: Midair collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250) (defining event), aircraft 2; cases with it: [All aircraft, 196 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250/sequence.md)

## Analysis (aircraft 1)

The purpose of the helicopter flight was a medical resupply for a local hospital. According to the pilot of the helicopter, while on final approach to the hospital’s helipad, he heard and felt something impact the upper portion of the helicopter. After the impact sound, the pilot reported seeing a small black object fall down the right side of the windscreen. The pilot continued the approach to the helipad and landed uneventfully. After landing, an inspection of the helicopter revealed one of the main rotor blades sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no signs of bird snarge or feathers to indicate the impact was with a bird. After the accident, small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) operator, who had been operating a sUAS in the area of the accident flight, reported to a Federal Aviation (FAA) office that he had heard a helicopter and attempted to land his sUAS. After the helicopter flew by, he reported that his control station lost contact with the sUAS. An FAA inspector and the sUAS operator were unsuccessful in their subsequent search for the sUAS. Multiple follow up attempts to interview the sUAS operator and to retrieve the flight controller’s datalog were unsuccessful. Based on the available information, the object that impacted the helicopter was likely the operator’s sUAS.

## Aircraft 1

- Registration: [N405TJ](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N405TJ), registered now, S/N 0405, built 2005 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: EUROCOPTER DEUTSCHLAND GMBH EC135T2
- Registry model: [Eurocopter Deutschland EC135T2](https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-deutschland-ec135t2) (registry code 5620032) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Turbomeca ARRIUS-2B2](https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-arrius-2b2) (registry code 60012, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Helicopter
- Serial number: 0405
- Year built: 2005
- Airframe hours: 7342.09
- Engines: SAFRAN ARRIUS 2B2 633 horsepower turbo shaft; SAFRAN ARRIUS 2B2 633 horsepower turbo shaft
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Other work use, Part 135
- Operator: Air Methods LLC, doing business as JeffSTAT
- Registered owner: Air Methods LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: AAIP, February 2, 2025
- Departed: PN03, Abington, PA
- Destination: 9PA8, Philadelphia, PA
- Flight plan: Company VFR
- Airport: 9PA8, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, runway H1, 40 × 40 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Onboard weather

## Aircraft 2

- Registration: Unknown (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: DJI Air 3
- Category: Unknown, unmanned
- Serial number: Unknown
- Fire: Unknown
- Flight: Business, Part 107
- Airworthiness certificate: None
- Equipment: None

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot, aircraft N405TJ; age 37; injuries: none; airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review January 9, 2025; seat: right; flight hours: 3,293.8 total, 330 in this make and model, 1,817 as pilot in command, 35.2 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours
- Pilot, aircraft 2; age 47; injuries: none; remote; seat: none; restraint: none

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 270° at 18 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 37 °F, dew point 7 °F
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observed at: PHL, 5 nm away
- METAR: METAR KPHL 171954Z 27018G28KT 10SM FEW070 03/M14 A2994 RMK AO2 PK WND 26034/1930 SLP137 T00281139 $=

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20250217000829A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250217000829A), Feb 17, 2025: Eurocopter Deutschland Gmbh EC135T2, Philadelphia, PA, Substantial damage. [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…

## Docket (4 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 21, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=199768. 2.1 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18805231&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120.1%20Accident%20Form%20(002)_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Mor - FAA suas statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 60 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18806132&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20-%20FAA-Rel.pdf
- Mor - attempts to interview suas operator (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 98 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18805979&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20-%20sUAS%20Interview%20and%20Data%20retrieval%20Attempts_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Investigation photographs (item 4, PDF, 3 pages, 277 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18806062&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-Rel.pdf

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.

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