NTSB CAROL · Event
Event WPR23LA066
Registry · N415RX
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
AIRBUS HELICOPTERS EC 130 T2
Year of manufacture
2021 · 1 years old at event
TCDS
H9EU · AIRBUS HELICOPTERS
Engine
SAFRAN ARRIEL 2D (952 hp)
Seats / Engines
8 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20220422
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A4E840
Registrant of record
REACH AIR MEDICAL SERVICES LLC
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
An in-flight collision with a bird while in cruise flight.
Factual narrative
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. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12
NTSB Findings
Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).
- — 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
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_2022_WPR23LA066.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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