History of Flight
On October 1, 2017, at 1447 eastern daylight time, a Brantly B-2B helicopter, registered N2284U, was substantially damaged when it struck terrain in an open field near Midland, Michigan. The private pilot suffered fatal injuries, and the passenger received minor injuries. The helicopter was owned by Attitude Toys, Inc., and operated by the pilot under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The local flight originated from the same field shortly before the accident.
Earlier that day, the pilot flew from Jack Barstow Airport (IKW), about 10 miles east-northeast of the accident site, to the field for a family gathering at an adjacent home. The passenger on that flight reported minor turbulence but otherwise uneventful conditions.
Ground-based video showed the helicopter arriving at the gathering. It approached from the east, descended after clearing the tree line, and hovered near the southwest corner of the field. During the hover, it yawed right about 45°, then left about 90° to a southwesterly heading. It descended, touched down momentarily, bounced, moved aft, and touched down again. After several seconds, the pilot lifted off and repositioned the helicopter closer to the southwest corner before shutting down.
The passenger on the accident flight said the helicopter "shook" a little on takeoff and the tail began to "sway" as they flew over a house near the east edge of the field, but the pilot steadied it. Near the northeast corner, the helicopter descended, slowly at first then rapidly. Rotor speed increased, but the helicopter impacted the ground and rolled onto its left side. The passenger stated the engine did not quit; he turned it off after the accident.
Video of the accident flight showed the helicopter parked heading west. After lift-off, it turned left, hovered aft, then climbed east-northeast. At the east edge, it turned north paralleling the road. Mid-field, it yawed right momentarily while tracking north. At the northeast corner, moving slowly forward, it yawed right about 270° to a westerly heading, then descended gradually. Near the ground, it yawed right nearly 360° before or after impact.
Personnel Information
The pilot's logbook showed 99.6 hours of helicopter flight experience, 9.8 hours in gyrocopters, and 360.0 hours in single-engine airplanes. Of the helicopter time, 16.8 hours were in a Brantly B-2B, with 11.5 hours as pilot-in-command. Within the preceding 90 days, he logged 3.7 hours in the accident helicopter, and 2.9 hours within the preceding 30 days.
Aircraft Information
The FAA issued an airworthiness certificate for the helicopter in October 1965. The current owner purchased it in September 2015. The most recent annual inspection was completed on October 1, 2016, at an airframe total time of 2,058.7 hours. At the accident, the helicopter had accumulated 15.7 hours since that inspection. A receipt for 15.0 gallons of 100LL aviation fuel, purchased at IKW at 1218 on the accident day, was found in the helicopter.
Meteorological Information
Surface wind at IKW was from 160° at 5 knots at 1432 and from 170° at 3 knots at 1453. At Mount Pleasant Municipal Airport (MOP), 11.5 miles west, wind was from 160° at 5 knots at 1433 and from 100° at 5 knots at 1454.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The field measured approximately 900 ft north-south by 800 ft east-west. The accident site was near the north boundary adjacent to a shallow ravine. The helicopter came to rest on its left side, oriented on a northwesterly heading. Airframe and engine examinations revealed no evidence of pre-impact failure or malfunction.
Additional Information
FAA Advisory Circular 90-95 discusses loss of tail rotor effectiveness (LTE), a critical low-speed flight characteristic that can cause uncommanded rapid yaw. It advises avoiding out-of-ground-effect hover and high-power demand situations. In event of sudden right yaw, the recommended response is full left pedal, forward cyclic to increase airspeed, and reduction of engine power if altitude permits.
The FAA Helicopter Flying Handbook notes that factors contributing to LTE include high power settings and slow forward speed. Early detection and immediate corrective action are emphasized.
Medical and Pathological Information
The Midland County Medical Examiner conducted an autopsy, determining the pilot's death was due to blunt force trauma. FAA toxicology testing identified atorvastatin at levels too low to quantify; this medication is used to reduce cholesterol and is not considered impairing.