5 fatal · EUROCOPTER EC135 · 2010-02-14 · Cave Creek, AZ, USA
Event
NTSB number
WPR10FA133
Event ID
20100214X92140
Type
Accident
Date
2010-02-14
Location
Cave Creek, AZ, USA
Coordinates
33.848056, -111.925277
Injuries
Highest injury
FATL
Fatal
5
Serious
0
Minor
0
Uninjured
0
Total aboard
5
Aircraft
Make
EUROCOPTER
Model
EC135
Registration
N127TS
FAR Part
091
Engines
2
Damage
SUBS
Conditions
Light
DAYL
Weather
VMC
Probable cause
The sudden and inadvertent lowering of the collective to near the lower stop, followed by a simultaneous movement of the collective back up and the cyclic control to a nearly full-aft position, which resulted in the main rotor disc diverging from its normal plane of rotation and striking the tail rotor drive shaft and culminated in a loss of control and subsequent impact with terrain. Contributing to the accident was absence of proper cockpit discipline from the pilot.