NTSB WPR25LA093 — 2025-02-13 · Moab, Utah, United States

Current FAA registration · N3WL

Make / Model: AIRBUS HELICOPTERS EC 130 T2
Year of manufacture: 2023 · 2 years old at event
Engine: SAFRAN ARRIEL 2D (952 hp)
Seats / Engines: 8 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 20231201
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A31C9F

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N3WL Airbus Helicopters EC 130 T2 None

Probable cause & findings

The inflight collision with debris during takeoff.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that shortly after he lifted off from a helipad, a window dislodged from a nearby hangar door and impacted the helicopter’s main rotor blade from behind, which in a loss of lift and an excessive vibration. The pilot initiated an emergency landing and subsequently landed hard. One of the main rotor blades was substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

— Aircraft-Aircraft propeller/rotor-Main rotor system-Main rotor blade system-Damaged/degraded
— Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Debris/dirt/foreign object-Effect on operation

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2025_WPR25LA093.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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