Bell 47G2 accident near Wettumpka, Alabama, October 27, 1989
On October 27, 1989 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Bell 47G2 (helicopter), registered N9025, was destroyed in an accident near Wettumpka, Alabama. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO AVOID OBSTACLES DURING AERIAL APPLICATION MANEUVERING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 27, 1989 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Wettumpka, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G2 · all 47G2s on the register
- Registration
- N9025 · registry record · serial 2292
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
IN HIS REPORT OF THE ACCIDENT THE PILOT STATED THAT THE TAIL OF THE HELICOPTER STRUCK A TREE DURING A TURN WHILE CONDUCTING SPRAYING OPERATIONS. THE HELICOPTER ROLLED ONTO ITS LEFT SIDE WITH THE ENGINE STILL OPERATING. A GRASS FIRE ERUPTED WHICH RESULTED IN THE DESTRUCTION OF THE HELICOPTER. THE PILOT RECOMMENDED THAT HE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN IN TOO BIG OF A HURRY.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 200 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 14,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1988; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Elmore AL at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:45 pm from MGM, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL90DKJ02.