Amateur-built SCORPION 133 accident near Centerville, Tennessee, March 25, 1983
On March 25, 1983 at about 7:17 pm local time, a amateur-built SCORPION 133 (helicopter), registered N506R, was destroyed in an accident near Centerville, Tennessee (Centerville Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- March 25, 1983 · about 7:17 pm local time
- Place
- Centerville, Tennessee · Centerville Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SCORPION 133 SCORPION 1
- Registration
- N506R · no longer on the register · serial BJ-413444727
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ROTORCRAFT CRASHED IN A STEEPLY DESCENDING TURN SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM ABOUT 100 FEET AGL. NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND DURING, THE ON-SITE WRECKAGE EXAMINATION WHICH WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN THE ABRUPT STEEP LEFT BANK AND GROUND IMPACT. THE PILOTS EXPERIENCE WAS LIMITED AS HE HAS ACQUIRED 26 HOURS FLIGHT TIME IN TWO AND ONE HALF YEARS. HIS LAST RECORDED FLIGHT WAS ALMOST 4 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THERE IS NO RECORD OF THE PILOT RECEIVING ANYDUAL INSTRUCTION IN HOVERING OUT OF GROUND EFFECT. THE LAST DUAL LOGBOOK ENTRY WAS DATED OCT. 17, 1981. THE PROCEDURE PERFORMED WAS 'LIMITED HOVERING, NO WIND, IN GROUND EFFECT ONLY'. ON THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO FLYIN WINDY CONDITIONS, OUT OF GROUND EFFECT. WITNESSES SAID THE HELICOPTER WAS RUNNING PERFECTLY AND PRODUCED NO UNUSUAL NOISES. WITNESSES IN THE AREA OF THE ACCIDENT SITE DESCRIBED THE WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AS WINDY AND ONE ESTIMATED THE WIND VELOCITY AS BETWEEN 8 AND 10 MPH.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 26 hours in all; 26 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 20 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 21 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, August 26, 1982; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotorway RW133 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GHM Centerville TN at 7:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:54 pm from BNA, 42 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.