Brantly Helicopter B-2B accident near Elk City, Oklahoma, March 9, 1995
On March 9, 1995 at about 2:45 am local time, a Brantly Helicopter B-2B, registered N2266U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Elk City, Oklahoma (Elk City Municipal airport). It was an instructional 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 PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE DURING A HOVERING TURN. A FACTOR WAS THE LOW TEMPERATURE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 9, 1995 · about 2:45 am local time
- Place
- Elk City, Oklahoma · Elk City Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Brantly Helicopter B-2B
- Registration
- N2266U · no longer on the register · serial 428
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT DRAGGED THE LEFT SKID OF THE HELICOPTER DURING A HOVER TAXI, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE RAMP AREA, AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED ONTO THE LEFT SIDE BEFORE COMING TO REST. THE PILOT REPORTED THE TEMPERATURE AT 29 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT AND THAT HE WAS 'VERY COLD DUE TO NO HEATER IN THE AIRCRAFT AND THAT HIS REFLEXES HAD SLOWED DOWN.' THE PILOT WAS ADDING A HELICOPTER RATING TO HIS COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATE; HE WAS NOT RATED IN ROTORCRAFT/HELICOPTERS.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,031 hours in all; 64 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,791 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1994
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IVO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F61 Pauls Valley OK
- Destination: ELK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N2266U the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.