Eurocopter Deutschland GMBH EC135 P2+ accident near Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, January 11, 2022
On January 11, 2022 at about 5:55 pm local time, a 2006 Eurocopter Deutschland GMBH EC135 P2+ (helicopter), registered N531LN, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania. It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was seriously injured; 3 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An inflight attitude upset for undetermined reasons that resulted in a rotor system overspeed, a reduction of power from both engines, and a subsequent hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 11, 2022 · about 5:55 pm local time
- Place
- Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eurocopter Deutschland GMBH EC135 P2+, built 2006
- Registration
- N531LN · registry record · serial 0474
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Flight track data from the helicopter air ambulance flight indicated that, while in cruise flight at an altitude of about 1,500 ft mean sea level (msl), the helicopter departed normal cruise flight with an abrupt increase in altitude, followed by a dive. The recovered data from various sources onboard the helicopter did not contain information as to whether the helicopter rolled inverted during this altitude excursion, as recalled by the crewmembers. Surveillance video showed the helicopter in a near-vertical, nose-down, spiraling descent. The pilot arrested the rotation and recovered the helicopter from the dive but was unable to climb or hover due to insufficient engine power, thereby resulting in a hard landing to a city street and substantial damage to the helicopter. Examination of the helicopter revealed no evidence of malfunction that would result in an abrupt departure from cruise flight. Because of the limited control authority of the Stability Augmentation System (SAS) actuators, it is unlikely that a malfunction of a SAS actuator would have resulted in an inflight upset before the pilot could react to the malfunction. Additionally, a malfunction of a trim actuator would not result in an inflight upset as the pilot would notice an attitude deviation before the trim actuator, whose rate of movement is limited by design, would be able to move the helicopter into an unusual attitude. Data indicated that a main rotor system overspeed, which likely occurred during the dive maneuver, resulted in the overspeed of both engine power turbines due to the sudden reduction in load from the main rotor. As a result of the power turbine overspeed, both engine control systems, independent of each other, functioned as designed and reverted to manual mode while at a minimum fuel flow rate. Both engines continued to run at low power without automatic governing, resulting in insufficient power to continue normal flight as the engine twist grips remained in the normal fly position for the duration of the flight.
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
- Unknown or undetermined during enroute defining event
- Inflight upset during enroute
- Hard landing during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Powerplant parameters › Capability exceeded
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Unknown/Not determined
- Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Main rotor system › Main rotor mast/swashplate › Capability exceeded
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,123 hours in all; 185 in this make and model; 53 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 3,650 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 5, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,163.2 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, January 11, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 6,400 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney 206B2 (turboshaft); 8,123 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney 206B2 (turboshaft); 5,648 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Air Methods CORP
The flight
- Departed from: PA60 Chambersburg PA at 5:05 pm
- Destination: 9PN2 Philadelphia PA
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 8 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point -2°F (-19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.53 inHg
- Observation at 12:54 pm from PHL, 6 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KPHL 111754Z 31008G17KT 10SM FEW060 FEW250 M04/M19 A3053 RMK AO2 SLP338 T10441194 11039 21072 58015
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | 2 | ||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA22FA105.