Fairchild Hiller FH-1100 accident near Pinedale, Wyoming, September 13, 1987
On September 13, 1987 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Fairchild Hiller FH-1100 (helicopter), registered N5059F, was destroyed in an accident near Pinedale, Wyoming. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured. 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
- September 13, 1987 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Pinedale, Wyoming · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Fairchild Hiller FH-1100 · all FH-1100s on the register
- Registration
- N5059F · no longer on the register · serial 220
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT AND TWO PASSENGERS HAD FLOWN TO PINEDALE TO FISH. THE PLT STATED THAT HE WAS CRUISING AT AN ALT OF 400 FT AGL AND WAS EXECUTING A RT TURN AT THE REQUEST OF A PAX. HE STATED THAT HE SLOWED THE ACFT, DECREASED THE COLLECTIVE, AND ADDED RT PEDAL AS HE ENTERED THE TURN. THE ACFT BEGAN TO DESCEND RAPIDLY SO HE ATMPTD TO CORRECT WITH FULL COLLECTIVE AND AFT CYCLIC CTL, BUT THE ACFT IMPACTED THE GND. THE POSTCRASH EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A MECH MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE PRIOR TO THE ACC. THE DENSITY ALT WAS CALCULATED TO BE 9,553 FT. THE BASIC HELICOPTER HANDBOOK STATES THAT TURNS ARE ENTERED FROM STRAIGHT AND LVL FLT BY APPLYING SIDEWARD PRESSURE ON THE CYCLIC. IT ALSO SAYS THAT THIS IS THE ONLY CTL MOVEMENT NECESSARY TO START THE TURN AND THAT PEDALS SHOULD NOT BE USED TO ASSIST THE TURN. WITNESSES INDICATED THAT THE ACFT HAD BEEN FLYING LOW OVER THE AREA THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND.
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: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 221 hours in all; 86 in this make and model; 49 in the last 90 days; 145 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 14, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C18B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.