Brantly Helicopter B-2B accident near Mt. Pleasant, Pennsylvania, February 12, 1984
On February 12, 1984 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Brantly Helicopter B-2B, registered N2273U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mt. Pleasant, Pennsylvania. 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 12, 1984 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Mt. Pleasant, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Brantly Helicopter B-2B
- Registration
- N2273U · no longer on the register · serial 43A
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT FLEW TO GREENSBURG, WHERE HE BROUGHT THE HELICOPTER TO A 2 FT HOVER AND DEPARTED WITH A MAX PERFORMANCE CLIMB. HE STATED THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO EXHIBIT CONTROL IRREGULARITIES WHICH HE DESCRIBED AS 'A DUTCH ROLL WOBBLE TYPE OF SHUFFLE.' HE CONTINUED THE FLT & SAID THE 'SHUFFLE' SUBSIDED AS PWR WAS REDUCED DURING APCH TO MT PLEASANT. HOWEVER, HE EXPERIENCED DIRECTIONAL CONTROL PROBLEMS DURING THE APCH WHICH WERE PROPORTIONAL TO CHANGES IN COLLECTIVE & THROTTLE APPLICATIONS. INITIALLY, HE THOUGHT THE PROBLEM WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE WIND. THE PLT INCREASED THROTTLE, COLLECTIVE, RTPEDAL & BEGAN A CLIMB. THEN AS A PRECAUTION, HE CUT THE THROTTLE TO STOP AN INCREASING VIBRATION & KEEP THE ENG FROM OVERREVVING. COLLECTIVE WAS REDUCED TO MAINTAIN ROTOR RPM, THEN WAS INCREASED ON DESCENT THRU 20 FT AGL, BUT THE ACFT LANDED HARD, COLLAPSING A SKID. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, IT HAD INSUFFICIENT PWR & MADE A 360 DEG ROTATION BEFORE IMPACT.TWO MAIN ROTOR BLADES SEPARATED AND WERE FOUND WITHIN PROXIMITY OF THE HELICOPTER WITH IMPACT DAMAGE.
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: helicopter
- Flight time: 194 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 115 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 742 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 31, 1983; 42 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: 2G3 Connellsville PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:45 pm from LBE, 10 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.