Brantly Helicopter B-2B accident near Winter Haven, Florida, April 27, 1991
On April 27, 1991 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Brantly Helicopter B-2B, registered N2193U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Winter Haven, Florida (Winter Haven'S Gilbert airport). 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
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND IMPROPER USE OF THE COLLECTIVE AND CYCLIC FLIGHT CONTROLS AFTER THE LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS DURING THE APPROACH TO LAND. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS HIS LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN TYPE AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 27, 1991 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Winter Haven, Florida · Winter Haven'S Gilbert · map
- 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
- N2193U · no longer on the register · serial 404
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON FINAL APCH AT 300 FT THE PLT BEGAN TO SLOW THE DESCENT & THE HELICOPTER YAWED TO THE RT. HE APPLIED LT ANTI-TORQUE PEDAL INPUT, HELD COLLECTIVE, APPLIED POWER, & NEUTRALIZED THE CYCLIC CONTROL BUT THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO SPIN TO THE RT. HE INITIATED A HOVER WHILE SPINNING & AFTER OBSERVING A CLEARING, LOWERED COLLECTIVE, & REDUCED POWER. DURING THE DESCENT THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES COLLIDED WITH TREES. POST CRASH EXAM OF THE TAIL ROTOR ASSEMBLY REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. THE PLT WAS NOT AUTHORIZED TO CARRY PASSENGERS IN THIS CLASS OF ACFT.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: gyroplane
- Flight time: 280 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 647 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 24, 1991; 6 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: SPG St. Petersburg FL at 5:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from BOW, 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.
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.