Brantly Helicopter B2 accident near Rogue River, Oregon, April 16, 1983
On April 16, 1983 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Brantly Helicopter B2, registered N5955X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rogue River, Oregon (Spring Brook 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
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
- April 16, 1983 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Rogue River, Oregon · Spring Brook · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Brantly Helicopter B2
- Registration
- N5955X · no longer on the register · serial 96
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER DURING LIFT OFF WITH PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER AND A FULL LOAD OF FUEL. ON A PREVIOUS FLT WITH ONE PASSENGER AND 8 GALLONS OF FUEL THE PILOT HAD NOTICED THE LEFT SKID WAS ABOUT 8 INCHES LOWER THAN THE RIGHT DURING LIFT OFF. ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT THE LEFT SKID DID NOT BREAK GROUND CONTACT UNTIL THE RIGHT SKID WAS ABOUT 18 INCHESOFF THE GROUND. AN ATTEMPT TO STOP THE ROLL OVER WITH CYCLIC WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THIS WAS THE PILOTS FIRST LIFT OFF IN THEB-2 WITH A PASSENGER AND A FULL LOAD (ABOUT 31 GALLONS) OF FUEL.
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: 595 hours in all; 9 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (expired)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 460 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 16, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming VO-B60 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 2,400 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 1 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N5955X 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.