Brantly Helicopter B-2 accident near Huntingburg, Indiana, February 18, 1985
On February 18, 1985 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Brantly Helicopter B-2, registered N511R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Huntingburg, Indiana (Huntingburg Muni airport). 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 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
- February 18, 1985 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Huntingburg, Indiana · Huntingburg Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Brantly Helicopter B-2
- Registration
- N511R · registry record · serial 14
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT EXPERIENCED A PARTIAL POWER LOSS AND MADE A HARD AUTOROTATIVE LNDG DURING A TRAINING FLT. INVESTIGATION OF THE ENG REVEALED MISTIMING OF THE LEFT MAG. THE ENG DURING TESTS ALSO RAN HOT UNTIL THE ADDITION OF A COOLING SHROUD. THE OTHER SIGNIFICANT FINDING IN THE ENG WAS THE OUT OF PROPER CLEARENCE SETTING OF THE #1 INTAKE VALUE. THE CYLINDERS HAD LESS THAN 2 HRS RUNNING TIME SINCE INSTALLATION SO THEY WERE NOT YET'SEATED IN'. THE PISTON PINS AND CAPS WERE WORN AND APPARENTLY NOT REPLACED DURING THE NEW CYLINDER INSTALATION. ;
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 20,003 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 176 in the last 90 days; 20,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 727 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 6, 1984; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 4,500 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm from EVV, 42 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.