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20090809049149A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Brantly B-2B · Martinsville, IN · August 9, 2009

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
August 9, 2009 · 12:03 local
Place
Martinsville, IN
Phase of flight
Other, Specify
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N9023Z
NTSB investigation
NTSBCEN09CA511
Reported as
Brantly B-2B
Reported engine
Lycoming O-360-A1A
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
120 total70 in this make and model11 in the last 90 days
N9023ZRegistration cancelled Jun 8, 2018 · Brantly B-2BS/N 2021 · Built 2001Airframe modelBrantly B-2BEngine modelLycoming O-360-A1A4 cycle

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

In preparation for a scheduled rotorcraft rating check ride, the pilot was practicing autorotation maneuvers in close proximity to, and north of, a bean field. The pilot stated that he was initiating the autorotation maneuver about 500 feet AGL in a direction towards the bean field and over an elevated railroad track. Due to a southerly headwind between the bean field and his position, while attempting to stretch the autorotation to clear the railroad track, he allowed the rotor speed to decay. During the recovery from the autorotation maneuver, the right skid contacted the bean stalks. While increasing the angle of attack for the recovery, and with the right skid in contact with the bean stalks, the helicopter dynamically rolled to the right. The rotor blades then contacted the ground and the helicopter came to rest on its right side. The ambient temperature was approximately 91 degrees (f) with high humidity. Substantial structural damage to the helicopter resulted as evidenced by the main and tail rotor blades separating and the buckling of the fuselage. No fire resulted and there was no injury to the pilot. No violation of regulations occurred.

As the FAA filed it

IN PREPARATION FOR A SCHEDULED ROTORCRAFT RATING CHECK RIDE, THE PILOT WAS PRACTICING AUTOROTATION MANEUVERS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO, AND NORTH OF, A BEAN FIELD. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS INITIATING THE AUTOROTATION MANEUVER ABOUT 500 FEET AGL IN A DIRECTION TOWARDS THE BEAN FIELD AND OVER AN ELEVATED RAILROAD TRACK. DUE TO A SOUTHERLY HEADWIND BETWEEN THE BEAN FIELD AND HIS POSITION, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STRETCH THE AUTOROTATION TO CLEAR THE RAILROAD TRACK, HE ALLOWED THE ROTOR SPEED TO DECAY. DURING THE RECOVERY FROM THE AUTOROTATION MANEUVER, THE RIGHT SKID CONTACTED THE BEAN STALKS. WHILE INCREASING THE ANGLE OF ATTACK FOR THE RECOVERY, AND WITH THE RIGHT SKID IN CONTACT WITH THE BEAN STALKS, THE HELICOPTER DYNAMICALLY ROLLED TO THE RIGHT. THE ROTOR BLADES THEN CONTACTED THE GROUND AND THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST ON ITS RIGHT SIDE. THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE WAS APPROXIMATELY 91 DEGREES (F) WITH HIGH HUMIDITY. SUBSTANTIAL STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE HELICOPTER RESULTED AS EVIDENCED BY THE MAIN AND TAIL ROTOR BLADES SEPARATING AND THE BUCKLING OF THE FUSELAGE. NO FIRE RESULTED AND THERE WAS NO INJURY TO THE PILOT. NO VIOLATION OF REGULATIONS OCCURRED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CEN09CA511Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportMartinsville, INThe pilot's improper recovery during the autorotation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's delayed remedial action to abort the practice autorotation.Aug 9, 2009 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N9023Z · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 20140525008899ALanding: Touchdown · Hart Miller Isl, MDAfter a thorough preflight, [privacy data omitted] and his passenger [privacy data omitted] departed martin state airport (kmtn). [privacy data omitted] Is not a certified pilot. [privacy data omitted] Stated that he allowed his passenger to "ride along" on…May 25, 2014 · Substantial damageIncident 20040623035689IAerial Taxi, Other Helicopter · Frankenmuth, MI(-23) [privacy data omitted] because he was taxiing 4 feet off the ground when he lost control in mild wind conditions.Jun 23, 2004 · Minor damage