Accident Details
On November 17, 2008, at about 1128 Pacific standard time, a Brantly B-2B helicopter, registration N2274U, experienced a hard landing following a loss of engine power during takeoff from Grove Field in Camas, Washington. The owner was operating the helicopter under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The certified flight instructor (CFI) and the student pilot/owner sustained minor injuries. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the airframe and main rotor blades. The local instructional flight had departed Camas at about 1110. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
Preflight and Departure
The CFI submitted a written statement indicating the owner was learning to fly helicopters at a flight school and was preparing to solo. The owner wanted the CFI to verify readiness for solo. The CFI asked several times about the helicopter's annual inspection status, as he knew it had been at a maintenance shop awaiting completion. The owner assured him it was done and signed off. The CFI had accumulated 7 hours in the Brantly model.
The owner and CFI pushed the helicopter out of the hangar and to a fuel station, adding 12 gallons to fill the tank. They then moved it to an open area and performed a preflight inspection. The helicopter started without difficulty. After warming the oil to operating temperatures, they checked both magnetos and noted they were functioning properly.
The owner taxied to the runway and performed a normal takeoff. The CFI stated that engine revolutions per minute (rpm) were in the green arc, and manifold pressure was at the top of normal limits. They flew around the landing pattern and landed to the west. The CFI then directed the student to fly another normal takeoff and pattern to a normal approach.
Power Loss and Landing
During the second takeoff, the CFI reported that engine rpm and manifold pressure were in the high normal range. At about 30 to 50 feet above ground level (agl) and 45 to 50 miles per hour (mph), the engine stopped abruptly without sputtering or any prior indication of a problem. The CFI took control and steered the helicopter toward a grassy area on the left side of the runway. With only a few seconds available, he focused on keeping the helicopter upright and touching down skids first. He stated he performed as much of an autorotation as possible with the available altitude.
A video of the accident showed that the helicopter maintained an almost level attitude throughout the descent, descending at a constant attitude with no apparent flare or deceleration.
Post-Accident Examination
A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the helicopter and found no evidence of catastrophic engine failure. Maintenance personnel disassembled the helicopter and removed it to a hangar. Attempts to contact the owner for further examination were unsuccessful.
A factory pilot for Brantly reviewed the video and the CFI's statement. He noted that several conditions are required for a safe autorotation: airspeed above 40 mph, rotor rpm in the green, and a deceleration during the last 25 to 35 feet to use airspeed to slow the rate of descent. A planned autorotation can be accomplished at that altitude, but he does not recommend them. After watching the video, he indicated that the instructor did not have enough time and altitude to make a safe autorotation due to not being on the controls at the time of the power loss.