Brantly Helicopter B2B accident near Ft. Pierce, Florida, July 24, 2005
On July 24, 2005 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Brantly Helicopter B2B, registered N9023M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ft. Pierce, Florida. It was a personal 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 inadequate preflight planning/preparation, and failure to refuel the helicopter prior to takeoff which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a loss of engine power during the landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 24, 2005 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ft. Pierce, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Brantly Helicopter B2B
- Registration
- N9023M · registry record · serial 2020
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that the helicopter's engine coughed and then ceased operating while in cruise flight at an altitude of 1,000 feet, and he performed a forced landing to a field. During the autorotative landing the helicopter incurred substantial damage. On-scene examination of the helicopter revealed that there were no visible signs or smell of fuel, and when the sump drains were opened about a cup full of aviation fuel was recovered. In addition, a follow-on examination of the helicopter was conducted and no evidence of fuel or fuel contamination could be found. A test run of the engine revealed that the engine functioned within limits and no anomalies were noted.
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; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 19 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2005; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IVO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Fort Pierce FL at 3:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,100 ft; clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 79°F (26°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from FPR
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.