- Date
- April 26, 1983, 12:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Gettysburg, PA
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4034KHiller FH-1100
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19830426016029A
- Case key
- 35040
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The plt took off on a flt to york, PA to refuel the helicopter & to demonstrate it to a prospective buyer while en route. Witnesses observed the helicopter shortly after departure. Two of 4 witnesses heard a change in the sound of the helicopter, 2 witnesses saw the helicopter swinging from side to side prior to crashing, and 2 or the witnesses saw the main rotor assembly separate from the main rotor drive shaft. One witness, who saw the helicopter flying toward his position, reported that it started to 'swoop' down, then turned upward, and then the main rotor assembly & 2 other pieces separated. The helicopter then turned over & crashed. The 1st person to arrive at the crash site said the plt did not have a seat belt on. An exam of the wreckage revealed that the main rotor mast had separated adjacent to the main rotor sys static stops. All fuselage & flt control separations were examined & found typical of overload failures. The tail cone had been severed by the main rotor.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4034K
- Reported as
- Hiller FH-1100
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 500
- Airframe hours
- 127
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20B, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- East Coast Helicopter, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 25, 1982 · 21 hours before
- Departed
- Gettysburg, PA
- Destination
- York, PA
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 41
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 8,500 total · 1,200 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HAR, 50 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.