20021012026619A

(.19) On October 12, 2002, approximately 0945 central daylight time, a brantly B-2B single-engine helicopter, N9008H, was substantially damaged after impacting terrain while maneuvering near Vinson, Oklahoma. The non-instrument rated private pilot and his passenger were not injured. The aircraft was registered to and operated by brantly international inc., of vernon, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 code of federal regulations part 91 personal flight. The cross-country flight originated from the wilbarger county airport, vernon, Texas at 0850, with a destination of hemphill county airport, canadian, Texas. In a telephone interview with the NTSB investigator-in-charge, the pilot reported that he was flying in a northerly direction at an altitude of 4,500 feet MSL over a cloud cover in visual flight rules (VFR) conditions. The pilot estimated the cloud cover was overcast between 200 and 500 feet. The pilot stated that approximately 15 minutes after takeoff he encountered an overcast cloud condition, followed by overcast to broken clouds, and then by another overcast cloud condition. Approximately 40 minutes into the flight he reported "there were high clouds and I could see the ground." The pilot further reported that approximately 53 minutes into the flight "things started to happen, and the aircraft turned toward the sun to the right. I wasn't turning to the right on my own. Then the helicopter turned back to the left by itself." The pilot also reported that "the helicopter was back on course, but then it did a nose over, something I didn't do of my own free will. The helicopter did this with no pilot control inputs." The pilot further stated that the helicopter was now in a near vertical nose down attitude, and that he observed both the engine RPM and rotor RPM had been exceeded. "We were now in a slight descent to the left and had lost about 1,000 feet before leveling off at 3,500 feet, then climbing back up to 4,500 feet, and then went into a left hand descending turn to the south." The pilot stated that he did not initiate any of these turns or maneuvers. At approximately 50 feet AGL the pilot reported trying to do a quickstop maneuver and land on top of a hill. The pilot further stated that the helicopter turned 90 degrees to the right, then spun to the left approximately 380 degrees before impacting terrain and coming to rest on its left side on a north-northeasterly heading. The pilot shut down the engine and egressed the helicopter with his passenger. An FAA inspector, who traveled to the accident site, reported that the tail section had been severed, the canopy was destroyed, and the outer blades had separated. The helicopter came to rest on its left side with the rotor head touching the ground. At 0953, the weather observation facility located at the hobart municipal airport (hbr), hobart, Texas, (located 44 miles east-northeast of the accident site) reported scattered clouds at 1,900 feet, visibility 10 statute miles, temperature 20 degrees c, dew point 17 degrees c, and an altimeter of 30.07 inches of mercury. (-23) on October 12, 2002, at approximately 0945 CDT, a brantly B-2B, enroute from vernon TX (FO5) to canadian TX (hhf), with two occupants on board, crashed in a remote area approximately 1 mile w and 3 miles n of Vinson ok. The aircraft was severely damaged from impact, and came to rest on its left side, neither the pilot or passenger were injured in the crash. According to the pilot's statement he encountered clouds above and below and could n ot spot visual check points on the ground, at one point the pilot broke through thinning clouds and made a right turn and began to head south, then headed back in right direction and on course. At this time they were climbing and the pilot made an adjustment to the mixture, then the aircraft nosed over dropping approx 1000 ft and 145 mph and exceeded rotor and engine limit, then abruptly it leveled off and was back on course. The pilot continued his flight with no problems and began climbing to 5000, then according to the pilot the aircraft began a smooth left descending turn at 85 to 90 mph... Heading toward a white house and into a canyon. At this time he stated that no corrections he tried to make were working and that they started going very fast just above the treetops in the canyon. He then tried to make a quick stop on the side of a hill, the RPM bleed off; the helicopter began to spin and crashed. Visual evidence at the crash site revealed that the right skid impacted the ground at least two times, the first impact was approx 70 ft nw of where the aircraft came to rest. The outboard rotor blades departed the aircraft due to impact with the ground and the tail was wrapped uparound the right side of the fuselage. At the scene the aircraft was examined for control continuity, fuel, and evidence of engine operation and at that time no airworthiness issues were found that might have contributed to the accident.