Fairchild Hiller FH-1100 accident near Glennallen, Alaska, January 9, 1985
On January 9, 1985 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Fairchild Hiller FH-1100 (helicopter), registered N5056F, was destroyed in an accident near Glennallen, Alaska. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 9, 1985 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Glennallen, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Fairchild Hiller FH-1100 · all FH-1100s on the register
- Registration
- N5056F · no longer on the register · serial 214
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF PLT EXPERIENCED DOWNDRAFTS AND VARIABLE WIND GUSTS. PLT DECIDED TO SET THE HELICOPTER BACK DOWN APRX 100 YDS FROM POINT OF TAKEOFF. PLT STATED HOVERING WAS VERY DIFFICULT AND THE HELICOPTER SETTLED TO THE UPSLOPING TERRAIN. THE HELICOPTER SLIDE TO THE RT (DOWN SLOPE) AND ROLLED OVER. FIRE ERUPTED FROM THE ENGINE AFTER IMPACT, DESTROYING 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: airline transport pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 16,860 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 186 in the last 90 days; 16,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,438 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 23, 1984; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,530 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C18 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Gulkana Air Service
The flight
- Destination: GKN Glennallen AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 30 knots, gusting 40
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 18°F (-8°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:15 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.