Brantly B-2B accident near Lantana, Florida, May 5, 2003
On May 5, 2003 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Brantly B-2B (helicopter), registered N2141U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lantana, Florida (Lantana airport). 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/owner's failure to maintain rotor rpm which resulted in a loss of control. Contributing factors were high gross weight and high density altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 5, 2003 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lantana, Florida · Lantana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Brantly B-2B · all B-2Bs on the register
- Registration
- N2141U · no longer on the register · serial 191
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter was hovering when it descended and collided with the ground. The pilot/owner stated that the accident occurred during an orientation flight, and as he took off, he had about 21 gallons of fuel on board. He said that along with the fuel and he and his passenger the helicopter was slightly over weight for the density altitude. He said that all they could do were some hovering maneuvers until enough fuel had been expended and the weight was reduced. He stated that he performed maneuvers while demonstrating how difficult it was to hold rotor rpm, and subsequently turned the helicopter controls over to the pilot-rated passenger, later taking control of the helicopter only when the crash was imminent. The pilot rated passenger stated that he met the pilot/owner of the accident helicopter on the day of the accident, and the pilot/owner invited him to go for a ride. He said he was seated in the left seat, and the pilot/owner was seated in the right seat, and that the pilot/owner was the one flying the helicopter. Information supplied by the pilot/owner showed that he had possessed a commercial rotorcraft certificate, and had accumulated a total of 139 rotorcraft flight hours in the same make and model as the accident helicopter. The pilot-rated passenger possessed a rotorcraft instructor rating and at the time of the accident, said he had a total of 950 total rotorcraft flight hours, of which 6 flight hours were in a Bell 206. The pilot rated passenger's remaining flight hours were in Robinson helicopters. The passenger stated that the accident flight was his first time in a Brantly helicopter.
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, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 28,000 hours in all; 139 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Other crew
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,337 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 10, 2003; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Textron Lycoming IVO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LNA Lantana FL at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from PBI, 6 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.