# NTSB CHI99LA292: Brantly Helicopter B-2B, N2238U, Hudson, MI, August 15, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 15, 1999, 15:00 local (19:00 UTC) - Place: Hudson, MI - Coordinates: 41.850849, -84.339836 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.8508&lon=-84.3398&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 2, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 47069 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI99LA292 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/47069/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI99LA292 ## Probable cause was an inadequate preflight and misjudged flare to landing during the autorotation by the pilot. A factor in this accident was a totally blocked fuel tank vent system. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, cruise - normal - fuel system,vent - blocked(total) (contributing factor) - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - starvation - Forced landing, descent - emergency - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - autorotation - performed, pilot in command - flare - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The pilot said he was flying the helicopter about 1,000 feet above ground level when the engine began sputtering. He said the engine sputtered until the helicopter was 500 feet above the ground and '...then the engine quit.' The pilot said he flared too late during the autorotation and the helicopter's tail struck the ground. He said the helicopter rolled onto its side during the ground collision sequence. The on-scene investigation revealed no mechanical anomalies with the engine or airframe that would prevent flight. Inspection of the fuel system revealed its vent line was plugged by a Mud Dauber Wasp. The fuel system does not have a vented cap. The fuel vent line is located on the bottom of the helicopter's fuselage and is visible to the pilot. ## Factual narrative On August 15, 1999, at 1500 eastern daylight time (edt), a Brantly B-2B, N2238U, piloted by a private pilot, was destroyed during a collision with the ground during a forced landing after a total loss of engine power. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91, and was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot reported no injuries. The flight departed a restricted landing area near Jackson, Michigan, at 1400 edt. The pilot said he was flying the helicopter about 1,000 feet above the ground when the "...engine started to sputter. It sputtered until I reached about 500 feet, then the engine quit." During the auto-rotation for the forced landing the pilot said he "...flared too late and hit the tail [on the ground]." The pilot said the helicopter rolled onto its side during the ground collision sequence. The on-scene investigation revealed no mechanical anomalies that would prevent flight. Inspection of the fuel system's overboard vent line revealed it was plugged with what appeared to be mud from the Mud Dauber Wasp. The fuel system does not have a vented fuel cap. The overboard vent line is the only vent line for the fuel tank. The vent line's opening is located on the helicopter's fuselage bottom and is visible to the pilot. The helicopter's fuel vent system part's manual illustration is appended to this report. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2238U](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2238U), registered now, S/N 479, built 1968 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Brantly Helicopter B-2B - Registry model: [Brantly B-2B](https://openairdocs.org/model/brantly-b-2b) (registry code 1440506) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 479 - Engines: Lycoming IVO-360 reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Richard P. Prater - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, January 10, 1999 - Departed: RLA, JACKSON, MI ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 66; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, invalid medical for flight; seat: right; flight hours: 860 total, 776 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 160° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: JXN, 27 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19990815012069A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990815012069A), Aug 15, 1999: Hynes B2B, Jackson, MI, Substantial damage. Acft made an emergency landing after the engine quit, and the acft sustained substantial damage on landing. (.19) on August 15, 1999, at 1916 eastern daylight… ## Other investigations on N2238U (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB NYC03LA063](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC03LA063), Mar 8, 2003: Brantly Helicopter B-2B (N2238U), Zelienople, PA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the tail rotor assembly due to improper maintenance by the owner/pilot. From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.