Brantly Helicopter B-2 accident near Artesia, New Mexico, October 22, 1994
On October 22, 1994 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Brantly Helicopter B-2, registered N5905X, was destroyed in an accident near Artesia, New Mexico. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPAIRMENT OF JUDGMENT AND PERFORMANCE DUE TO DRUGS, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM A POWERLINE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 22, 1994 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Artesia, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Brantly Helicopter B-2
- Registration
- N5905X · no longer on the register · serial 41
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A WITNESS SAW THE HELICOPTER APPROACH A PARKING LOT BEHIND HIS RESIDENCE AND THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO LAND. THE HELICOPTER SUDDENLY PULLED UP AND COLLIDED WITH A POWER LINE. THE WITNESS SAW PARTS SEPARATE FROM THE HELICOPTER AS IT SPUN TO THE GROUND. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. TOXICOLOGY TESTS OF THE PILOT'S BLOOD SHOWED 0.003 UG/ML OF TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL (MARIJUANA), AND 0.012 UG/ML TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL CARBOXYLIC ACID (MARIJUANA METABOLITE); ALSO, COCAINE AND BENZOYLECGONINE (COCAINE METABOLITE) WERE DETECTED IN HIS BLOOD. A TEST OF HIS URINE SHOWED 0.169 UG/ML OF TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL.
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: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 474 hours in all; 128 in this make and model; 408 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 740 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 1994
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-360-A1A/B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Loco Hills NM at 4:00 pm
- Destination: CNM Carlsbad NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:48 pm from ROW, 30 miles away
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.