BRANTLY B 2B
Essex, MD — May 25, 2014
Event Information
| Date | May 25, 2014 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | ERA14CA259 |
| Event ID | 20140526X05903 |
| Location | Essex, MD |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 39.25028, -76.36250 |
| Highest Injury | NONE |
Aircraft
| Make | BRANTLY |
| Model | B 2B |
| Category | HELI |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DAYL |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 2 |
| Total Injured | 0 |
Probable Cause
The pilot's failure to maintain helicopter control during landing resulting in a hard landing and a roll over.
Full Narrative
According to the pilot during an interview with a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, the purpose of the flight was to practice approaches and hovering. As the helicopter neared the ground, he pulled collective to enter a hover when it began to rotate clockwise. He was unable to stop the rotation and the helicopter made two full rotations prior to impacting the ground. The passenger reported that the helicopter impacted the ground "hard, but not too hard." The helicopter bounced, rolled over, and came to rest on the left side of the fuselage, which resulted in substantial damage to the main rotor blades, the fuselage, and tailboom. A postaccident examination of the helicopter revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. In addition, the pilot stated that the passenger was "ride[ing] along" on the flight controls.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.