What happened
On March 10, 2025, at approximately 12:37 CDT, an Airbus Helicopters EC135 P2+, registration N835CS, crashed near Canton, Mississippi. The aircraft, operated by Med-Trans Corporation as AirCare 3, was performing a Part 135 air medical repositioning flight from the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) MED-COM heliport to Golden Triangle Regional Airport (GTR) in Columbus, Mississippi.
Prior to the accident, the crew had completed a flight risk assessment, which classified the flight as low risk. The flight crew consisted of a commercial pilot, a flight paramedic, and a flight nurse. After departing the UMMC MED-COM heliport, the helicopter climbed to approximately 2,500 feet MSL.
During the flight, the helicopter began a descent while over the Pearl River State Wildlife Management Area. During this descent, the flight nurse transmitted an emergency message to UMMC MED-COM, stating that the crew was experiencing a major problem, that controls were providing significant difficulty, and that they were performing an emergency landing in a field.
ADS-B data indicated the aircraft turned north during its descent and struck multiple trees just south of a grass field. The helicopter came to rest at an elevation of about 320 feet MSL. A post-impact fire destroyed the wreckage and burned for approximately three hours. The crash resulted in 3 fatal injuries for the pilot, the flight paramedic, and the flight nurse.
A witness at a nearby fish hatchery reported hearing a loud explosion or "boom" followed by the sight of the helicopter in a steep, uncontrolled descent. The witness observed the aircraft's tail pitching up and down and noted that the pilot appeared to be having difficulty controlling the aircraft.