Date:	Sunday 2 April 2023
Time:	17:23
Type:	Airbus Helicopters H130 (EC 130T2)
Owner/operator:	Air Methods Corporation (AMC)
Registration:	N231SH
MSN:	7993
Year of manufacture:	2014
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 3
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	near Chelsea, AL -   United States of America
Phase:	Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:	Ambulance
Departure airport:	Sylacauga Municipal Airport, AL (KSCD)
Destination airport:	Chelsea, AL
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
On April 2, 2023, at 1723 central daylight time, an Airbus Helicopters EC130 T2 helicopter, N231SH, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Chelsea, Alabama. The pilot and flight nurse were fatally injured. The flight paramedic was seriously injured. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 air ambulance flight.

Witnesses saw a helicopter along the side of a road about 100 ft away and 3 to 4 ft above the ground. The helicopter was hovering and parallel to the road. The helicopter then rapidly ascended and turned toward the road before it moved above the witnesses’ car. After several seconds, the helicopter turned back 180° toward a field, and immediately the pitched nose down and impacted the road behind them. Video from a local deputy sheriff’s dash camera captured the helicopter coming over the trees, going out of view for about one second, then reappearing in a steep, nose-down attitude before impacting the road. The helicopter then slid about 20 ft before coming to rest in the grass.

Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

An on-board video/data recorder was recovered from the accident scene. The video revealed that, from the time the helicopter departed on the accident flight to the time the pilot began the hover over a gravel road, the flight was uneventful. During the hover, the helicopter was moving slowly forward, and flight control inputs appeared to be normal for a hover. From the hover, the FLI increased to about 7.4 and the helicopter started to move about 50 ft forward as the altitude increased. Trees were visible forward of the helicopter outside the windscreen. While the altitude increased from about 50 ft to 110 ft above ground level (agl), the attitude indicator increased to a maximum of over 20° nose-up pitch and 20° right roll. There was no appreciable change in pedal or cyclic position by the pilot. The helicopter then went from a nose-high attitude to an excessive nose-low attitude, while continuing to roll to the right to a maximum of 30°. By the time the pilot reacted, his movement of the cyclic, left and aft, was insufficient to bring the helicopter under control. The attitude indicator tumbled, and the primary flight display (PFD) displayed an obstacle indication. The video then showed the helicopter impacted the road at a perpendicular angle.

Toxicology testing performed by the FAA’s Forensic Services Laboratory on the pilot revealed cetirizine, cyclobenzaprine, and diphenhydramine, all of which are potential central nervous system (CNS) depressants. Each drug also carries a warning that use with other CNS depressant medications is not advised, as use of these medications in combination may cause sedation, impair concentration, worsen reaction time and vigilance, and worsen psychomotor performance. The pilot’s use of multiple sedating CNS depressants likely worsened this performance deficiency and contributed to his delayed application of appropriate control inputs.

Probable Cause: The pilot’s delayed corrective inputs while maneuvering, which resulted in a loss of control. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s use of multiple sedating medications.

https://www.fox10tv.com/2023/04/02/helicopter-crashes-near-highway-280-shelby-co/
https://abc3340.com/news/local/lifesaver-helicopter-crash-highway-280-bear-creek-road-shelby-county-emergency-response
https://www.wbrc.com/2023/04/02/helicopter-crashes-near-highway-280/
https://www.al.com/news/2023/04/medical-helicopter-crashes-in-shelby-county.html
https://www.alabamanews.net/2023/04/02/two-dead-one-hurt-in-medical-helicopter-crash-in-shelby-county
https://1819news.com/news/item/pilot-and-rn-killed-in-life-saver-crash-in-shelby-county-roadway-reopened-following-ntsb-investigation
https://www.wbrc.com/2023/04/02/helicopter-crashes-near-highway-280/

https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106990
https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=231SH
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N231SH/history/20230402/2154Z/KSCD/L%2033.37871%20-86.62505
https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=a20dcf&lat=33.381&lon=-86.629&zoom=14.0&showTrace=2023-04-02

https://avspotters.com/frame.php?f=Aerospatiale%20AS.350%20Ecureuil&u=7993 (Aircraft Information)

https://abc3340.com/resources/media2/original/full/1029/center/80/17320f6d-6e02-4985-a918-a6021bd04f53-Capture.PNG (photo)

Photo: NTSB

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
03-Apr-2023 00:07	Captain Adam	Added
02-Oct-2023 13:12	Anon.	Updated
04-Jun-2025 19:21	Captain Adam	Updated [Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Damage, Narrative, Photo, ]