Brantly B-2B accident near Martinsville, Indiana, August 9, 2009
On August 9, 2009 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Brantly B-2B (helicopter), registered N9023Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Martinsville, Indiana. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper recovery during the autorotation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's delayed remedial action to abort the practice autorotation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 9, 2009 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Martinsville, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Brantly B-2B · all B-2Bs on the register
- Registration
- N9023Z · no longer on the register · serial 2021
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was practicing solo 180-degree autorotations in preparation for a private pilot helicopter add-on rating. During the accident autorotation, the helicopter was in a left turn at an altitude of 500 feet above ground level(agl). The helicopter exited the turn "a little low and lost some rotor speed." While attempting to recover the low rotor speed, the pilot had to extend his glide path more than he anticipated due to approaching terrain and obstacles, which in turn slowed the forward airspeed. The pilot reported, "Of course I wish I had abandoned the auto at this point. I flared [the helicopter] but with high density altitude and the out of ground effect of the soybeans, I still entered the thick-drilled soybeans, which piled up on my right skid." The helicopter then rolled over and came to rest on its right side. Examination of the helicopter revealed the main rotor blades were destroyed and the fuselage was buckled. No mechanical anomalies were noted with the helicopter.
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
What happened, in order
- Autorotation Loss of control in flight defining event
- Autorotation Attempted remediation/recovery
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Prop/rotor parameters › Not attained/maintained
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 175 hours in all; 80 in this make and model
- Last flight review: June 17, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 523 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 21, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Martinsville IN at 3:15 pm
- Destination: Martinsville IN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 9 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N9023Z the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN09CA511.