Brantly Helicopter B-2 accident near Grove City, Ohio, March 5, 2002
On March 5, 2002 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Brantly Helicopter B-2, registered N2128U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grove City, Ohio. It was a flight test under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions which resulted in an in-flight collision with trees. A factor related to the accident was the gusting wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 5, 2002 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Grove City, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Brantly Helicopter B-2
- Registration
- N2128U · no longer on the register · serial 176
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
As the helicopter lifted off of the portable landing pad, a gust of wind began to push the helicopter backwards towards a hangar. The pilot raised the collective and the helicopter rose above the hangar; however, it continued in a rearward direction until the main rotor blades struck a tree. The pilot "rolled off" the power, and the helicopter began to descend to the ground. During the decent, the landing skid caught a vine, which rolled the helicopter inverted before it impacted the ground. The wind reported at a nearby airport, about the time of the accident, were from 220 degrees at 10 knots.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,800 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 4,800 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 18, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 580 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 2, 2002; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Grove City OH at 10:00 pm
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.25 inHg
- Observation at 9:51 pm from CMH, 5 miles away
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.