Accident
On March 25, 2016, at approximately 1730 central daylight time, a Brantly B-2B helicopter (registration N2266U) collided with trees and terrain after a loss of control in Galena, Missouri. The pilot sustained serious injuries, and the helicopter was substantially damaged. The helicopter was owned and operated by a private individual under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and the flight was not operated on a flight plan. The flight originated from private property in Cape Fair, Missouri, around 1715.
The pilot had flown the helicopter to a restaurant about 4 miles from the accident site, where he ate. A witness reported that after the pilot started the helicopter, the engine backfired during warm-up. The witness stated the engine did not sound "right" as the helicopter took off and that he thought it would contact trees before gaining sufficient altitude.
Witness Accounts
The pilot flew approximately 4 miles southeast, where another witness saw the helicopter circling three times in a clockwise direction. On the second pass, the helicopter was about 40 to 60 ft above the trees, and the pilot waved to the witness. On the third pass, the helicopter descended to about 20 ft above the ground before climbing out. As it climbed, the engine power sounded fluctuating. The witness saw the tail "dip" and the helicopter begin to spin. He lost sight behind trees and then heard the impact. The engine continued running for several minutes after impact. This witness took photographs of the helicopter during the circling.
Another witness heard the helicopter from inside her house and saw it circle three times at an "unusually" low altitude. She stated the helicopter was about 20 ft above the trees in a level attitude when it started spinning left and descending. She also reported the engine continued to run after impact.
Wreckage Examination
The helicopter came to rest in a heavily wooded area. First responders noted a fuel leak upon arrival. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector conducted a postaccident examination. The tailboom separated from the fuselage, which came to rest in a nose-down attitude. One blade separated from the mast, and the outboard sections of all three main rotor blades were fractured and separated. The main rotor shaft and planet gear assembly sustained impact damage. Continuity of the rudder control system was established, and all separations appeared to be from overload. No anomalies were found that would have resulted in loss of control or loss of engine power.
Pilot Information
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating but no helicopter rating. His logbook showed 191.8 hours of helicopter flight time, with 119.6 hours as pilot-in-command, and 122.6 hours in the accident make and model. At 1850, the reported wind at Branson Airport, 18 miles southeast, was 110 degrees at 12 knots.
The National Transportation Safety Board was subsequently notified that the pilot passed away on June 9, 2016.