What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 29, 2013, approximately 16:45 central daylight time, a Brantly B-2B helicopter, N2253U, sustained substantial damage when it impacted terrain while aborting a forward takeoff run at a private open field in Rothbury, Michigan. privacy data omittedPrivate rotorcraft pilot and one passenger sustained minor injuries. There was one witness to the accident. The aircraft was being operated under the provisions of 14 code of federal regulations part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed.
The helicopter initiated the takeoff from the middle of the field, hovered downwind to the east end of the field before commencing the takeoff to the west. The pilot stated he aborted the takeoff when he realized he would not clear the tree line by giving the helicopter full left rudder. During this left turn, the pilot stated a gust of wind caught him and forced him to the ground. The aircraft impacted the ground hard at a level attitude on an uphill slope. The pilot stated the main rotor blade struck the ground in front of him, rolling the helicopter. The helicopter came to rest lying on its left side.
According to the pilot; this was a personal flight, the outside temperature was 87 degrees fahrenheit and he had 20 gallons of 100LL fuel on board. At 1655, 24 miles south, the kmkg automated surface observing system reported the wind from 270 degrees at 7 mpg, visibility 10 miles, few clouds at 16,000, scattered clouds at 22,000 feet, temperature 83 degrees fahrenheit, dew point 66, and an altimeter setting of 29.36 inches of mercury.
The open field was approximately 750 feet in length by 150 feet wide. The length ran east to west. The field was surrounded by pines trees approximately 30 to 40 feet tall with some larger growth on the west end.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 29, 2013, APPROXIMATELY 16:45 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A BRANTLY B-2B HELICOPTER, N2253U, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT IMPACTED TERRAIN WHILE ABORTING A FORWARD TAKEOFF RUN AT A PRIVATE OPEN FIELD IN ROTHBURY, MICHIGAN. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^PRIVATE ROTORCRAFT PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THERE WAS ONE WITNESS TO THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED.
THE HELICOPTER INITIATED THE TAKEOFF FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD, HOVERED DOWNWIND TO THE EAST END OF THE FIELD BEFORE COMMENCING THE TAKEOFF TO THE WEST. THE PILOT STATED HE ABORTED THE TAKEOFF WHEN HE REALIZED HE WOULD NOT CLEAR THE TREE LINE BY GIVING THE HELICOPTER FULL LEFT RUDDER. DURING THIS LEFT TURN, THE PILOT STATED A GUST OF WIND CAUGHT HIM AND FORCED HIM TO THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND HARD AT A LEVEL ATTITUDE ON AN UPHILL SLOPE. THE PILOT STATED THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE STRUCK THE GROUND IN FRONT OF HIM, ROLLING THE HELICOPTER. THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST LYING ON ITS LEFT SIDE.
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT; THIS WAS A PERSONAL FLIGHT, THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS 87 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT AND HE HAD 20 GALLONS OF 100LL FUEL ON BOARD. AT 1655, 24 MILES SOUTH, THE KMKG AUTOMATED SURFACE OBSERVING SYSTEM REPORTED THE WIND FROM 270 DEGREES AT 7 MPG, VISIBILITY 10 MILES, FEW CLOUDS AT 16,000, SCATTERED CLOUDS AT 22,000 FEET, TEMPERATURE 83 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, DEW POINT 66, AND AN ALTIMETER SETTING OF 29.36 INCHES OF MERCURY.
THE OPEN FIELD WAS APPROXIMATELY 750 FEET IN LENGTH BY 150 FEET WIDE. THE LENGTH RAN EAST TO WEST. THE FIELD WAS SURROUNDED BY PINES TREES APPROXIMATELY 30 TO 40 FEET TALL WITH SOME LARGER GROWTH ON THE WEST END.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N2253U · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.