- Date
- October 1, 1994, 18:45 local (23:45 UTC)
- Place
- Houston, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N5996XBrantly Helicopter B-2
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 4, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19941001032349A
- Case key
- 19277
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During cruise flight the helicopter experienced a partial loss of engine power followed by surges. The pilot elected to perform a precautionary autorotation landing. During the ground run the aircraft landing skid became entangled in the vegetation, causing the aircraft to turn right and roll over on its left side. The reason for the partial power loss and surges was not determined.
Factual narrative
On October 1, 1994, at 1845 central daylight time, a Brantly B-2, N5996X, was substantially damaged during a precautionary landing near Houston, Texas. The helicopter was flown by an airline transport rated pilot for a local personal flight. No flight plan was filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot and one passenger were uninjured.
During an interview, conducted by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, the pilot reported that the helicopter was in cruise flight when the "engine had a loss of power and surged." He further reported that he "initiated a precautionary autorotation procedure." The power on autorotation was reported to be uneventful until the "skids became tangled in bean vines," during the ground run, and the helicopter turned "90 degrees" and "gently rolled over."
An examination of the engine by the operator and a Federal Aviation inspector failed to reveal the reason for the erratic engine power.
The helicopter sustained damage to the skids, airframe, and main rotor blades.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5996X
- Reported as
- Brantly Helicopter B-2
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 141
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A1B, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Turcotte, Joseph R.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 1, 1994 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- SGR · Sugarland, TX
- Destination
- SGR · TX
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 51
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 8,000 total · 200 in this make and model · 7,800 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- IAH, 25 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.