NTSB Factual Report

On May 5, 2003, about 1630 eastern daylight time, a Brantly B-2B, N2141U, registered to Wellness Advocates Inc., and operated by a private individual as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, crashed in Lantana, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The commercial-rated pilot and one pilot-rated passenger received minor injuries, and the helicopter incurred substantial damage. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.

A witness stated that he was driving his truck eastbound on Lantana Road, along with his son, and he saw the helicopter as it was low and ascending slightly. He said he called his son's attention to the helicopter, noting that as it continued to maneuver, it appeared to be getting ready to land. Shortly thereafter he said he saw the helicopter "wallow" and move in an unusual manner, while descending in an area where there were obstacles to any safe landing, and at that time he knew that it was in trouble. As he continued to watch he said the helicopter rolled to the left and descended in a marshy area. The helicopter hit the water on its left side, and the main rotor blades broke. The witness said that while he was preparing to render aid, he observed two men emerge from the helicopter.

The pilot in command/owner stated that he had flown his helicopter to Lantana, Florida, with the intent of selling it. He further stated that the accident occurred during an orientation flight he was giving to his prospective buyer's flight instructor, as had been previously agreed upon, and that the buyer had told him that he was planning on having the flight instructor teach him to fly the helicopter. The pilot/owner estimated he had about 7 or 8 gallons of fuel on board upon arrival in Lantana, Florida, and said that prior to taking off on the accident flight he added 15 gallons. When his pilot-rated passenger (the flight instructor) arrived, the pilot/owner said he performed a thorough preflight, and noted that his passenger was heavier that the 150 pounds he had previously been told. The pilot in command/owner said that he was the pilot flying the helicopter, and as he took off, the helicopter was slightly above maximum gross weight for the density altitude, and pointed out to his passenger that all they could do were some hovering maneuvers until they burned off enough fuel to get the weight down. He stated that he performed maneuvers while demonstrating how difficult it was to hold rotor rpm, and subsequently turned the helicopter controls over to his passenger, and that his passenger was the pilot flying the helicopter just prior to him taking over after rotor rpm had decayed, and the crash was imminent.

The pilot-rated passenger stated that he met the owner of the accident helicopter on the day of the accident, and after walking around the helicopter and talking to the owner, the owner invited him to go for a ride. He said he was seated in the left seat, and the pilot/owner was seated in the right seat. He said the pilot/owner started the engine, and after some "preflight checks", maneuvered the helicopter into a hover and added that the pilot/owner was flying his helicopter at the time of the accident.

Information supplied by the pilot/owner showed that he had accumulated a total of 139 rotorcraft flight hours, all of which was in the same make and model as the accident helicopter. The pilot-rated passenger possessed a rotorcraft instructor rating and stated that at the time of the accident he possessed a total of 950 rotorcraft flight hours, of which 6 flight hours were in a Bell 206. His remaining flight hours were in Robinson helicopters. The passenger said that the accident flight was his first time in a Brantly helicopter.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot/owner's failure to maintain rotor rpm which resulted in a loss of control. Contributing factors were high gross weight and high density altitude.