Brantly Helicopter B-2B accident near Alvin, Texas, September 8, 1984
On September 8, 1984 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Brantly Helicopter B-2B, registered N2161U, was destroyed in an accident near Alvin, Texas (Alvin Airpark airport). It was a personal 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
- September 8, 1984 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Alvin, Texas · Alvin Airpark · 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
- N2161U · no longer on the register · serial 322
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER EXPERIENCED AN UNEXPLAINED POWER LOSS. AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS ATTEMPTED BUT THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH A DITCH. LACKING SUFFICIENT ROTOR RPM FOR EFECTIVE CONTROL THE HELICOPTER NOSED OVER. THE PLT WAS MAILED AN NTSB 6120.1 FORM TO COMPLETE & RETURN. THE REPORT WAS NOT RETURNED TO THE NTSB. ADDITIONAL ATTEMPTS TO OBTAIN THE FORM OR ADDITIONAL INFO WERE UNSUCCESSFUL.
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
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Unknown UNKNOWN (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Katy TX at 7:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft; scat at 3,300 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from HOU, 18 miles away
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.