Bell 47G-3B-1 accident near Centre, Alabama, October 9, 1992
On October 9, 1992 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Bell 47G-3B-1 (helicopter), registered N31FG, 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 FAILURE TO MAINTAIN MAIN ROTOR RPM, WHICH RESULTED IN AN IN FLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL AND COLLISION WITH TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 9, 1992 · about 9:15 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 47G-3B-1 · all 47G-3B-1s on the register
- Registration
- N31FG · registry record · serial 3834
- 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 REPORTED THAT WHILE PERFORMING A MANEUVER (TURN TO REVERSE DIRECTION), HE ALLOWED THE MAIN ROTOR RPM TO DECAY. HE LOST CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER, AND IT BOUNCED INTO A FIELD. THE AIRCRAFT BECAME AIRBORNE AGAIN, AND THE RPM DECAYED ONCE MORE. THE HELICOPTER THEN CRASHED INTO THE FIELD, AND THE TAIL BOOM WAS SEVERED BY THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES DURING IMPACT. THE PILOT REPORTED NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WITH THE HELICOPTER DURING THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT.
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; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,400 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming TVO-435-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: A04 Centre AL at 8:45 pm
- Destination: A04
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from ANB, 36 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 N31FG 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.