Airbus Helicopters EC 130 T2 accident near Yuba City, California, December 13, 2022
On December 13, 2022 at about 1:35 am local time, a 2021 Airbus Helicopters EC 130 T2, registered N415RX, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Yuba City, California. It was a business flight under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An in-flight collision with a bird while in cruise flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 13, 2022 · about 1:35 am local time
- Place
- Yuba City, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Airbus Helicopters EC 130 T2, built 2021 · all EC 130 T2s on the register
- Registration
- N415RX · registry record · serial 9130
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot in the helicopter reported that, during cruise flight at dusk with night vision goggles on, he encountered a flock of birds at 1,500 ft above ground level. As the pilot initiated a climbing left turn to avoid the birds, he heard a loud bang accompanied by a pain in his left leg. The helicopter then began to vibrate, and the pilot initiated a precautionary landing in a nearby field without further incident. Bird remains were located throughout the pilot side of the cockpit. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the windshield. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Birdstrike during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Effect on equipment
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Ability to respond/compensate
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,671 hours in all; 1,627 in this make and model; 58 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 2,671 as pilot in command; 249 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 30, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 223.2 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, December 8, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 5,512 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Safran ARRIEL 2D (turboshaft); 225 hours total
- Operator: Reach Air Medical Services LLC
The flight
- Departed from: KMCC Sacramento CA at 5:05 pm
- Destination: KRDD Redding CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 130° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.77 inHg
Weather report (METAR): METAR KBAB 120055Z AUTO 13007KT 10SM OVC060 09/05 A2977
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 WPR23LA066.