Salem Lackrone Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Salem, Illinois 62881
Monday, November 23, 1998 12:45 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A Brantly-B2B helicopter was substantially damaged during landing on a recreational pilot certificate check ride when the pilot-in-command attempted a hovering autorotation from an altitude of approximately 2-1/2 to 3 feet. The pilot reported, '...We touched down level with a slight left side drift. I was beginning to pull the collective after touch down when the helicopter rotated about the left skid.' The Federal Aviation (FAA) Inspector conducting the check ride reported, '...I briefed (the pilot) that I would be near the controls during the maneuver'. During the maneuver, the helicopter drifted to the left and contacted the ground with its left skid. The helicopter then rolled over. The FAA Inspector stated that he did not have any flight time in a Brantly-B2B. Inspection of the helicopter revealed no mechanical anomalies.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The simulated emergency procedure by the pilot-in-command. Additional causes were the directional control not obtained/maintained by the pilot-in-command and the inadequate supervision by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector. A contributing factor was the FAA Inspector's lack of familiarity with the aircraft.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/23/1998
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1245
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City SALEM
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 62881
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SALEM LACKRONE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SLO
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 571
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1233 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 165
Weather Observation Facility ID MVN
Elevation of weather observation facility 480
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 17
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1952
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 23 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1437
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:52AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2291U
NTSB Number CHI99LA033
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Brantly Helicopter
Aircraft Model B2B
Aircraft Series Identifier B2B
Aircraft Serial Number 462
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 6 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 1406
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BRETT A SULLIVAN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 529 N BROADWAY
Aircraft Owner City SALEM
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 62881
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code SLO
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1215
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --