AgustaWestland AW109SP crash near Carsington Water, Derbyshire, United Kingdom

At about 1,000 ft agl and 140 kt, as the helicopter was descending and turning towards East Midlands Airport on return from a HEMS mission, a bird struck the left windshield. The windshield shattered and the bird entered the cockpit striking the technical crew member (TCM) on the left side of their helmet. The TCM and pilot were unhurt. Debris from the windshield also entered the main rotor disk, making a hole in the trailing edge of one of the rotor blades. The AgustaWestland AW109 windshield is not designed to withstand bird strikes and the design certification requirements do not require it to do so. Proposed amendments, specifically to the certification of Small Rotorcraft were published in EASA NPA 2021-02 to change this for newly designed rotorcraft. A rule making group is also considering the retrospective application to existing fleets and/or to future production of already type certified rotorcraft. AgustaWestland AW109SP, G-TAAS