Hiller FH-1100 accident near Steamboat Sprng, Colorado, February 18, 1985
On February 18, 1985 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Hiller FH-1100 (helicopter), registered N4035G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Steamboat Sprng, Colorado (Private Heliport airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 18, 1985 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Steamboat Sprng, Colorado · Private Heliport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller FH-1100
- Registration
- N4035G · no longer on the register · serial 502
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PURPOSE OF THE FLT WAS TO TEST THE HELICOPTER AFTER AN ANNUAL INSPECTION. THE PLT FLEW THE ACFT FOR APRX 1 HOUR FROM THE LEFT SEAT WITH THE ACFT OWNER IN THE RIGHT SEAT BEFORE THE OWNER DEPLANED THE ACFT AND THE PLT MOVED INTO THE RIGHT SEAT. PLT STATED THAT ON TAKEOFF THE HELICOPTER BEGAN MOVING TO THE RIGHT BECAUSE OF THE RIGHT CG. (PLT WEIGHT WAS 251 LBS.) HE WAS UNABLE TO MOVE THE CYCLIC FAR ENOUGH TO THE LEFT TO COUNTERACT THE MOVEMENT BECAUSE HIS LEG WAS RESTRICTING THE TRAVEL. THE RIGHT SKID CONTACTED THE GROUND AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER TO THE RIGHT.
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: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 639 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 587 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 207 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 18, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison C-20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PH Steamboat Sprin CO at 11:28 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N4035G the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DEN85LA079.