Brantly Helicopter B-2B accident near Christiansted, July 10, 1990
On July 10, 1990 at about 1:50 pm local time, a Brantly Helicopter B-2B, registered N2284U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Christiansted. 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 FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO EVALUATE WEIGHT, TEMPERATURE, AND POWER AVAILABLE PRIOR TO TAKEOFF AND THEN PERFORMING A LEFT PEDAL TURN AFTER TAKEOFF RESULTING IN THE HELICOPTER DESENDING EVEN THOUGH FULL POWER WAS APPLIED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 10, 1990 · about 1:50 pm local time
- Place
- Christiansted
- 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
- N2284U · registry record · serial 454
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
HELICOPTER WAS AT NEAR GROSS WEIGHT AND PILOT ESTIMATED TEMPERATURE AT HELIPAD TO BE 90 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. AS HELICOPTER LIFTED OFF HE PERFORMED LEFT PEDAL TURN WHICH REQUIRES ADDITIONAL ENGINE POWER. HELICOPTER DESENDED DOWN HILL AWAY FROM HELIPAD AND ALTITUDE COULD NOT BE MAINTAINED WITH FULL ENGINE POWER. LEFT SKID CONTACTED TREE STUMP AND HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER.
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: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 950 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 892 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,830 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 18, 1989; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:00 pm from STX, 8 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.
Other NTSB records under N2284U 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.