Brantly B-2B accident near Fairbanks, Alaska, May 23, 1982
On May 23, 1982 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Brantly B-2B (helicopter), registered N2195U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fairbanks, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 23, 1982 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Fairbanks, Alaska
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Brantly B-2B · all B-2Bs on the register
- Registration
- N2195U · no longer on the register · serial 406
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, A PARTIAL POWER LOSS OCCURRED OVER A WOODED AREA AND THE PILOT INITIATED AN AUTOROTATIVE LANDING. DURING THE LANDING, THE MAIN ROTOR AND TAIL ROTOR BLADES HIT TREES, THEN THE RIGHT SKID SET DOWN ON A SMALL TREE AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER. AFTER THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST, THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AT IDLE RPM WITH ABOUT 1/2 THROTTLE. DURING AN EXAMINATION, DIRT AND SCALE PARTICLES OF RUST WERE FOUND IN THE MAIN FUEL STRAINER. THE FUEL STRAINER (FINGER SCREEN) IN THE FUEL INJECTOR WAS REMOVED AND WAS FOUND TO BE CLOGGED.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,800 hours in all; 76 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 3,620 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,026 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 73 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IVO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Fairbanks AK at 2:00 pm
- Destination: Fairbanks AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.