The pilot of a medevac helicopter that crashed into a South Florida apartment building last month noticed two loud “bangs” from the rear of the helicopter and a fire indication on the number one engine, according to a preliminary report issued by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
The 1999 Airbus EC135T1 went down shortly after departing Pompano Beach Airpark (KPMP) en route to a traffic accident on the morning of August 28. A paramedic aboard the aircraft was killed, as was a resident of the apartment building. Another paramedic sustained serious injuries, while the pilot suffered minor injuries. The helicopter was operated by the Broward County Sheriff’s Fire Rescue Office.
According to the NTSB report, the pilot heard the first bang from the rear of the helicopter after taking off and then “noticed that the turbine outlet temperature (TOT) was rising on the No. 1 engine. He set the No.1 engine throttle to idle, declared an emergency to air traffic control, and reversed direction to return to the airport.
“He scanned the cockpit instrument panel and noticed that the No.1 engine fire button had illuminated. He pressed the button to activate the fire-suppression system; however, the TOT continued to rise on the No. 1 engine. The pilot subsequently heard a second ‘bang,’ and was unable to control the helicopter. It spun and descended into an apartment building.”
Video footage shows an in-flight fire burning near the engine exhaust and the tail boom partially separating in flight before the helicopter entered a right spin. The tail boom was recovered 30 feet from the main wreckage, which was consumed in a post-crash fire.
The helicopter was powered by two Safran Arrius 2B1 670-shp engines. Its most recent 100-hour inspection was completed on May 23, 2023, when the airframe had 5,557.1 total hours, and the engines had 5,327.2 hours since new and 2,251.3 hours since a 2016 overhaul. The aircraft's last inspection was conducted 24 hours before the accident.
Following the accident, Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony again appealed to the county commission to fund the purchase of replacement helicopters, citing the age of the current fleet. Tony said he had been lobbying for replacement helicopters for several years before the accident and had last made a formal appeal in June, when he warned commissioners of the safety risks of operating aging aircraft.
Last week, the commission approved $15 million for the purchase of an Airbus H145. The vote was 8-0. The commission is currently exploring ways to fund a second new helicopter.