Brantly Helicopter B-2B accident near Lakeview, Michigan, May 20, 2005
On May 20, 2005 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Brantly Helicopter B-2B, registered N2274U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lakeview, Michigan. It was an instructional 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 dual student failed to maintain adequate rotor rpm during the practice autorotation and the instructor's delay in attempting remedial action. A factor associated with the accident was the soft terrain that was encountered.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 20, 2005 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lakeview, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Brantly Helicopter B-2B
- Registration
- N2274U · no longer on the register · serial 439
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter rolled over during a practice autorotation. The purpose of the flight was for the dual student to practice autorotations in preparation for a rotorcraft rating. He stated the accident occurred during the third autorotation of the flight. The student reported that during the autorotation the airspeed decreased below 40 miles per hour and the rotor rpm decayed. He stated the CFI took control of the throttle, rolling it on and off about three times, but they were too slow and low. He stated the helicopter impacted the ground "hard." The student reported that he did not notice a mechanical failure/malfunction with the helicopter, reporting that they just got too slow and the rotor rpm decayed. He continued to report, "I learned later that when practicing autorotations, I should not roll the throttle to idle, because there is a governor that keeps it at about 2,000 rpm when the collective is lowered." He stated his CFI never said anything to him about not rolling the throttle to idle. The CFI stated the engine quit during the simulated engine failure. He stated they made a full touchdown autorotation into a soft field and the left skid dug into the terrain causing the helicopter roll over.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: gyroplane; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 35,000 hours in all; 200 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VIO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 13C Lakeview MI
- Destination: 13C Lakeview MI
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- 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.
Other NTSB records under N2274U the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.