Brantly Helicopter B-2 accident near Michigan City, Indiana, August 26, 1984
On August 26, 1984 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Brantly Helicopter B-2, registered N5983X, was destroyed in an accident near Michigan City, Indiana (Michigan City airport). It was a personal 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 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
- August 26, 1984 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Michigan City, Indiana · Michigan City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Brantly Helicopter B-2
- Registration
- N5983X · no longer on the register · serial 127
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ENGINE QUIT AS A RESULT OF FUEL EXHAUSTION. TWENTY OUNCES OF FUEL REMAINED IN THE TANK. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS FLYING ON THE AIRCRAFT'S FUEL GAGE WHICH INDICATED THREE EIGHTS OF A TANK REMAINED. AN AUTOROTATION WAS INITIATED, BUT THE LANDING SKID CAUGHT ON FARM EQUIPMENT AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER ON LANDING.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 529 hours in all; 116 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 470 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 768 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: La Porte IN at 6:00 pm
- Destination: MGC Michigan City IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:30 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.