Brantly Helicopter B-2 accident near Arkansas City, Kansas, October 1, 2006
On October 1, 2006 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Brantly Helicopter B-2, registered N5950X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Arkansas City, Kansas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during takeoff. A contributing factor was the low rotor RPM.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 1, 2006 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Arkansas City, Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Brantly Helicopter B-2
- Registration
- N5950X · registry record · serial 89
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, during the attempted takeoff, he raised the collective and the helicopter "became light on its skids." The pilot verified the wind conditions based on his observation with nearby trees. The wind was observed to be "light" and from the south-southwest direction. The pilot initiated a turn into the direction of the wind, and prior to transitional lift, the rotor RPM dropped. The pilot attempted to recover the drop in rotor RPM by lowering the collective. The helicopter skids touched the terrain, and the helicopter rolled over on it's right side. The pilot stated, "I believe I got a wind gust that contributed to the low [rotor] RPM."
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,575 hours in all; 275 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-360-A1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Arkansas City KS
- Flight plan: none
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.
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.