- Date
- July 10, 1990, 09:50 local (13:50 UTC)
- Place
- Christiansted
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N2284UBrantly Helicopter B-2B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 15, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900710024769A
- Case key
- 32677
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 failure of the pilot to evaluate weight, temperature, and power available prior to takeoff and then performing a left pedal turn after takeoff resulting in the helicopter desending even though full power was applied.
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
Helicopter was at near gross weight and pilot estimated temperature at helipad to be 90 degrees fahrenheit. As helicopter lifted off he performed left pedal turn which requires additional engine power. Helicopter desended down hill away from helipad and altitude could not be maintained with full engine power. Left skid contacted tree stump and helicopter rolled over.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2284U
- Reported as
- Brantly Helicopter B-2B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 454
- Airframe hours
- 1,830
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360 A1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Elliott, Randy K.
- Registered owner
- Randy K Elliott
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 18, 1989 · 10 hours before
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
- 33
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 950 total · 8 in this make and model · 892 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- STX, 8 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.
Other investigations on N2284U · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.