Agustawestland Philadelphia AW119MKII N281MC

Summary

On 20 September 2024 at about 00:03 local time, a Agustawestland Philadelphia AW119MKII registered N281MC, operated by Mercy Flight Central Inc, was involved in an accident near Canandaigua, New York, United States. 3 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 September 2024 at 00:03

Classification

Accident

Location

Canandaigua, New York, United States

Nearest airport

Canadaigua Airport (IUA)

Coordinates

42.9111, -77.3206

Aircraft

Agustawestland Philadelphia AW119MKII

Registration

N281MC

Category

Helicopter

Year built

2022

Engines

1

Operator

Mercy Flight Central Inc

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Rochester → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

ERA24LA387

2 people had minor injuries.

The pilot’s excessive descent rate during the final approach for landing and his delayed recovery attempt, resulting in a hard landing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The helicopter pilot and two medical crewmembers were returning to base at night after completing a patient drop-off at a nearby hospital. The takeoff and cruise portions of the flight were routine. Approaching the landing zone while using night vision goggles, the pilot allowed the helicopter pitch to increase while at a low engine power demand, resulting in the helicopter entering a rapid descent. Recorded flight data showed a late attempt to recover; however, the helicopter struck the ground hard at a descent rate greater than 600 ft/minute, lunged forward, and spun to the right about 220° before coming to a stop. The helicopter was substantially damaged, and the two medical crewmembers had minor injuries; the pilot was unhurt. An examination of the wreckage after the accident did not reveal evidence of a mechanical malfunction or anomaly that would have precluded normal operation. No crew alerting system (CAS) messages were received before impact, and the engine continued to operate after the helicopter came to a rest.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.