# NTSB CEN25LA292: Bell 206B, N432TV, North Bend, NE, July 27, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: July 27, 2025, 10:30 local (15:30 UTC) - Place: North Bend, NE - Coordinates: 41.459526, -96.753363 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.4595&lon=-96.7534&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 14, 2025 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 200649 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN25LA292 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200649/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200649 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA292 ## Probable cause 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. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Object/animal/substance: wire](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022032): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Awareness of condition (probable cause); cases with it: [Bell 206B, 27 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022032/cases.md?model=1181511), [All aircraft, 588 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022032/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Bell 206B, 20 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md?model=1181511), [All aircraft, 1,310 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md) - [Attention/monitoring: monitoring environment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Bell 206B, 25 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md?model=1181511), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md) - [Action: lack of action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Ground crew (probable cause); cases with it: [Bell 206B, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md?model=1181511), [All aircraft, 792 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470) (defining event); cases with it: [Bell 206B, 57 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=1181511), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis 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. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N432TV](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N432TV), registered now, S/N 3286, built 1981 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BELL 206B - Registry model: [Bell 206B](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206b) (registry code 1181511) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rolls-Royce 250-C20B](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-250-c20b) (registry code 54385, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 3286 - Year built: 1981 - Engines: Rolls Royce 250-C20 317 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Operator: Sky Copters Inc, doing business as Sky Copters Inc - Registered owner: Sky Copters Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 61; injuries: none; commercial; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: right ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 160° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 75 °F - Altimeter: 29.99 inHg - Observed at: KFET, 11 nm away - METAR: METAR KFET 271535Z AUTO 16009KT 10SM CLR 29/24 A2999 RMK AO2 T02920244= ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20250727010329A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250727010329A), Jul 27, 2025: Bell 206B, Ames, NE, Substantial damage. The helicopter had completed it’s second aerial application and was returning to the service truck to refill dispensing agent. At some point between the… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 14, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200649. 177 KB in all. - Accident photograph (item 1, PDF, 2 pages, 1 photo, 114 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19470818&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=photos-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation with pilot (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 63 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19471648&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%20ROC-Rel.pdf From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.