Eurocopter Deutschland GMBH EC 135 accident near Monongahela, Pennsylvania, November 6, 2015
On November 6, 2015 at about 11:00 am local time, a 2007 Eurocopter Deutschland GMBH EC 135 (helicopter), registered N639ME, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Monongahela, Pennsylvania (Monongahela Valley Hospital airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The inadequate securing of the wheeled fire extinguisher's cover which resulted in it being blown off of the fire extinguisher and ingested into the helicopter's fenestron during takeoff, resulting in a loss of directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 6, 2015 · about 11:00 am local time
- Place
- Monongahela, Pennsylvania · Monongahela Valley Hospital · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eurocopter Deutschland GMBH EC 135 T2, built 2007
- Registration
- N639ME · no longer on the register · serial 0563
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After liftoff during a helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) flight with a patient on board, the pilot of the HEMS helicopter brought it in to a 1 to 2 foot hover and was preparing to make a right pedal turn into the wind, when a cover from a wheeled fire extinguisher, was blown airborne by the main rotor wash and ingested into the tail rotor (fenestron) of the helicopter. The helicopter lost tail rotor authority and began to spin clockwise. The pilot lowered the collective and the helicopter rotated approximately 150 degrees, then impacted the ground and continued to rotate another 20 to 30 degrees, for a total of 170 to180 degree turn, and came to rest. Examination of the helicopter by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed damage to the landing gear skid tubes, fenestron composite housing, and the forward cross tube gimbal which had pushed up into a composite non-structural area of the fuselage. It was discovered, that the wheeled fire extinguisher that the cover had blown off of, had been inspected for serviceability just four days prior to the accident.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Miscellaneous/other during takeoff
- Loss of control in flight during takeoff defining event
- Hard landing during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Debris/dirt/foreign object › Effect on equipment
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Tail rotor › Tail rotor blade › Damaged/degraded
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,413 hours in all; 1,198 in this make and model; 82 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 2,663 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 28, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,110.2 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, November 4, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 6,415 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Turbomeca ARRIUS 2B2 (turboshaft); 5,108 hours total
- Engine 2: Turbomeca Arrius 2B2 (turboshaft); 3,142 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5PA5 Monongahela PA
- Destination: 78PA Newtown Square PA
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 180° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; a few clouds at 3,100 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 am from KAGC, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on January 8, 2016. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | FAA Inspector's Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Structures | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Photo Array | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.