Pilot Debrief

AIRBUS HELICOPTERS EC 130 T2 near Chelsea, AL — 2023-04-02

Final reportERA23FA175
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Date
2023-04-02
Location
Chelsea, AL, USA
Aircraft
AIRBUS HELICOPTERS EC 130 T2
Registration
N231SH
Category
Helicopter
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
2
Phase of flight
Hover

Probable cause

The pilot’s delayed corrective inputs while maneuvering, which resulted in a loss of control. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s use of multiple sedating medications.

Contributing factors

Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s use of multiple sedating medications.

NTSB narrative

Witnesses saw a helicopter along the side of a road about 100 ft away and 3 to 4 ft above the ground. The helicopter was hovering and parallel to the road. The helicopter then rapidly ascended and turned toward the road before it moved above the witnesses’ car. After several seconds, the helicopter turned back 180° toward a field, and immediately the pitched nose down and impacted the road behind them. Video from a local deputy sheriff’s dash camera captured the helicopter coming over the trees, going out of view for about one second, then reappearing in a steep, nose-down attitude before impacting the road. The helicopter then slid about 20 ft before coming to rest in the grass. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. An on-board video/data recorder was recovered from the accident scene. The video revealed that, from the time the helicopter departed on the accident flight to the time the pilot began the hover over a gravel road, the flight was uneventful. During the hover, the helicopter was moving slowly forward, and flight control inputs appeared to be normal for a hover. From the hover, the FLI increased to about 7.4 and the helicopter started to move about 50 ft forward as the altitude increased. Trees were visible forward of the helicopter outside the windscreen. While the altitude increased from about 50 ft to 110 ft above ground level (agl), the attitude indicator increased to a maximum of over 20° nose-up pitch and 20° right roll. There was no appreciable change in pedal or cyclic position by the pilot. The helicopter then went from a nose-high attitude to an excessive nose-low attitude, while continuing to roll to the right to a maximum of 30°. By the time the pilot reacted, his movement of the cyclic, left and aft, was insufficient to bring the helicopter under control. The attitude indicator tumbled, and the primary flight display (PFD) displayed an obstacle indication. The video then showed the helicopter impacted the road at a perpendicular angle. Toxicology testing performed by the FAA’s Forensic Services Laboratory on the pilot revealed cetirizine, cyclobenzaprine, and diphenhydramine, all of which are potential central nervous system (CNS) depressants. Each drug also carries a warning that use with other CNS depressant medications is not advised, as use of these medications in combination may cause sedation, impair concentration, worsen reaction time and vigilance, and worsen psychomotor performance. The pilot’s use of multiple sedating CNS depressants likely worsened this performance deficiency and contributed to his delayed application of appropriate control inputs.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted the hover before losing control.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Video
  • FDR / data
  • Photos
  • 15 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents15

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