Accident Overview
On March 10, 2025, at approximately 1237 central daylight time, an Airbus Helicopters EC135 P2+ helicopter, registration N835CS, was destroyed in an accident near Canton, Mississippi. The commercial pilot, flight paramedic, and flight nurse on board sustained fatal injuries. The helicopter was operated by Med-Trans Corporation under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 as an air medical flight, designated AirCare 3.
Flight History
According to the operator, the flight was intended to reposition the helicopter back to its home base at Golden Triangle Regional Airport (GTR) in Columbus, Mississippi, after the crew had transported a patient to St. Dominic-Jackson Memorial Hospital Heliport (MS46) in Jackson, Mississippi. The helicopter operated under a company visual flight rules flight plan. A flight risk assessment tool had been completed, classifying the flight as low risk per the operator's safety management system. The pilot occupied the front right seat, the flight paramedic the front left seat, and the flight nurse the rear right seat; both rear seats were rear-facing, and a curtain separated the cockpit from the cabin.
The helicopter departed from MS46 and flew approximately 0.25 miles south to the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) MED-COM heliport, where it was topped off with Jet A fuel. It then departed from the UMMC MED-COM heliport and began its flight to GTR.
Air Traffic Control Communications
Preliminary information from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) indicates that the helicopter initially communicated with air traffic control (ATC) at Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport (JAN) in Jackson, Mississippi. About 5 minutes before the accident, the pilot reported “clear to the north” and terminated communication with JAN ATC.
Flight Path and Descent
A preliminary review of automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) data shows that after departing from MS46, the helicopter climbed to the northeast, flying over the Ross R. Barnett Reservoir. The flightpath remained south of the Natchez Trace Parkway. The helicopter reached an altitude of about 2,500 feet above mean sea level (msl). Shortly after flying over the Pearl River State Wildlife Management Area, it began to descend. About halfway through the descent, the flight nurse transmitted over the radio to UMMC MED-COM, stating: "We’ve got a major problem, we are having an emergency landing in a field right now, ops are not good, controls are giving us a lot of trouble, coming in fast." No further radio transmissions were recorded from the helicopter.
ADS-B data indicate that during the descent, the helicopter turned north. It impacted multiple trees just south of a flat grass field on the Pearl River State Wildlife Management Area, coming to rest on the southern end of the field at the tree line, at an elevation of about 320 feet msl. The accident site was located about 1/4 mile southwest of the Turcotte Fish Hatchery. The wreckage was destroyed by a postimpact fire that burned for about 3 hours. Due to the remote location, fire department units deployed 1,300 feet of hose after initial fire suppression using tank water; water was then shuttled for the remainder of the firefighting operation.
Witness Account
A witness employed as the Turcotte Fish Hatchery manager stated that he was working at the hatchery at the time of the accident. He was in his truck near the hatchery ponds, at a higher elevation due to the raised ponds, approximately 700 yards from the eventual accident site. He first heard a "boom" or an "explosion" that drew his attention to the helicopter. He looked toward the hatchery and saw the helicopter airborne. He said the boom was loud, even with his truck windows closed. He could not recall hearing any engine sound after the boom, and the helicopter sound was not noticeable.
When he first saw the helicopter, it did not change course and was pointed straight at him before it turned north and descended "at a pretty good rate." It appeared to him that the pilot was "having trouble controlling" the helicopter. He reported no smoke or fire from the helicopter. He estimated the tail was pitching up and down up to 45°. The helicopter was not descending straight down but was "coasting" and descending at an estimated 40° to 45° descent angle. The estimated nose-down attitude was about 30°. He could not tell if the tail was moving sideways. He noted "a little wobble" of the nose from left to right and the helicopter rolling "just a little bit." The time from the boom to impact spanned no more than about 15 seconds.
Investigation and Helicopter Information
The National Transportation Safety Board, FAA, Airbus Helicopters, Med-Trans Corporation, and Global Medical Response traveled to the accident site. Due to postcrash fire damage, none of the helicopter systems could be functionally tested. The wreckage was recovered and transported to a secure location.
The helicopter was manufactured in 2012. It was equipped with two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW206B2 turboshaft engines, an autopilot system, and a crash-resistant fuel system. The helicopter was transferred to the Med-Trans operating certificate in 2020. Its most recent inspection, under an approved aircraft inspection program, occurred about 2.7 hours before the accident.
The helicopter was part of the UMMC critical care transport program, which began in 1996 and at the time of the accident utilized four air medical helicopters across Mississippi. Med-Trans Corporation, based in Denton, Texas, with parent company Global Medical Response, provided the helicopter and pilots. The Med-Trans Operations Control Center is in Lewisville, Texas.
The pilot was hired by Med-Trans in September 2024 and passed the Part 135 pilot-in-command checkride in October 2024. He held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, multiengine land, rotorcraft-helicopter, instrument airplane, and instrument rotorcraft. He had accumulated about 10,644 hours as a helicopter pilot. FAA records showed the pilot reported a total airplane flight time of 132 hours in 2007.