Bell 47D1 accident near Centre, Alabama, June 25, 1992
On June 25, 1992 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Bell 47D1 (helicopter), registered N68632, was substantially damaged in an accident near Centre, 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT, RESULTING IN A COLLISION WITH A WIRE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 25, 1992 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Centre, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47D1 · all 47D1s on the register
- Registration
- N68632 · no longer on the register · serial WH5003
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AG PILOT WAS SPRAYING COTTON FOR BOLL WEEVIL ERADICATION. HE SURVEYED THE FIELD AND SET UP FOR HIS FIRST PASS. WHILE ON THE PASS, THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH A SINGLE WIRE STRUNG NEAR THE CORNER OF THE FIELD. THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER, AND IT CRASHED ON THE COTTON FIELD. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOT SEE THE WIRE DURING HIS INITIAL SURVEY OF THE FIELD. HE REPORTED NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE HELICOPTER.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,881 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 9,643 as pilot in command; 257 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: A04 Centre AL at 6:30 pm
- Destination: A04 Centre AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from CKL, 90 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.
Other NTSB records under N68632 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.