Bell 206B accident near North Bend, Nebraska, July 27, 2025
On July 27, 2025 at about 3:30 pm local time, a 1981 Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N432TV, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near North Bend, Nebraska. 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 clearance from wires while maneuvering at a low altitude, and the ground crew failure to inform the pilot that the support truck had been moved.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 27, 2025 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- North Bend, Nebraska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B, built 1981 · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N432TV · registry record · serial 3286
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a telephone interview, the pilot stated that he had been spraying a 300-acre field and had already made about 10 passes with the helicopter. He stated that after each pass he landed near a support vehicle to replenish the hopper. On the final approach to the support vehicle, the pilot did not see the wires and the helicopter struck them with the main rotor blades. The pilot landed the helicopter on an adjacent road without further incident. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor blades. The pilot discovered that the driver of the support vehicle had moved the truck about 50 ft closer to the wires than it was previously positioned. He stated that the driver of the support vehicle did not inform him that the truck had been moved. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical problems with the helicopter before striking the wires.
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
What happened, in order
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Awareness of condition
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Ground crew
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls Royce 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sky Copters INC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.99 inHg
- Observation at 10:35 am from KFET, 11 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KFET 271535Z AUTO 16009KT 10SM CLR 29/24 A2999 RMK AO2 T02920244=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 1 picture from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on November 14, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accident Photograph | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation with Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.