Accident Brantly B-2B N2166U,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 46008
 
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Date:Sunday 11 February 2001
Time:15:09
Type:Silhouette image of generic BRB2 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Brantly B-2B
Owner/operator:B and W Helicopters
Registration: N2166U
MSN: 328
Engine model:Textron Lycoming IVO-360-A1A
Fatalities:Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:Archer, FL -   United States of America
Phase: Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:Training
Departure airport:Archer, FL (0J8)
Destination airport:
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
A witness said he heard the "usual engine pop" occur about 5 or 6 times as the main rotor increased speed, and shortly after, the helicopter lifted off and rose to an altitude of about 5 or 6 feet. He again heard a loud "pop", like a loud backfire, or the bang of metal hitting metal, and saw the helicopter rock to the left, right, and left again, i.e. from side to side, and the nose pitched down. The helicopter then rolled to the left again, and one of the main rotor blades struck the concrete helipad, breaking a blade. The helicopter then descended, and impacted the concrete helipad on the left side. The rotor blades continued to rotate, and repetitively struck the ground, throwing debris over a wide area and the cockpit area subsequently erupted into flames. Postcrash examination of the helicopter revealed that the damage to the tail boom, as well as the tail and main rotor systems were consistent with overload. The tailboom separated at the aft edge of the horizontal stabilizer's location, and the tail rotor drive shaft was bent forward of the 90-degree gearbox, at the tailcone attach point. The examination revealed no evidence of preaccident anomalies with the engine or transmission. Control continuity was not established due to fire damage. Cyclic pitch control and collective push pull tubes from each respective bellcranks had melted with only molten aluminum deposits remaining under the hardware on the end of each bellcrank. Push/pull tubes from the antitorque pedals, which connect to a bellcrank and subsequently to dual cables which run the length of the empennage had extensive fire damage, and the lateral push rod had separated at both ends. The vertical push rod was separated at the lower attach end aft of the tailcone attach point. The student pilot/owner's wife, as well as witnesses stated that the student had transported the helicopter to the accident location via trailer to obtain flight instruction from the PIC. FAA records indicated that the PIC did not possess a current flight instructor certificate, and had last been issued a flight instructor certificate in on March 25, 1985 which had expired on March 31, 1987. Information from the PIC's logbook showed that he last received a biennial flight review on January 19, 1999.
Probable Cause: The flight crew's loss of control for undermined reasons.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: MIA01FA075
Status: Investigation completed
Duration:
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20010216X00461&key=1

History of this aircraft

Other occurrences involving this aircraft
24 October 1994 N2166U Private 0 Tomball, TX sub

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
28-Oct-2008 00:45 ASN archive Added
21-Dec-2016 19:24 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency]
10-Dec-2017 10:33 ASN Update Bot Updated [Source, Narrative]

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