Fairchild Hiller FH-1100 accident near Keaau, Hawaii, April 27, 1986
On April 27, 1986 at about 2:19 am local time, a Fairchild Hiller FH-1100 (helicopter), registered N5067F, was destroyed in an accident near Keaau, Hawaii (General Lyman Field). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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
- April 27, 1986 · about 2:19 am local time
- Place
- Keaau, Hawaii · General Lyman Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Fairchild Hiller FH-1100 · all FH-1100s on the register
- Registration
- N5067F · registry record · serial 207
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A HILLER 1100 WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE AFTER A FORCED LANDING. THE PLT INDICATED THAT THE EGT HAD RISEN TO APPROXIMATELY 800 DEG C FROM 700 DEG AND THEN ROSE TO 1100 DEG. THE HEAT WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE PLT INITIATED A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. THE ENG FAILED IN THE DESCENT AND A AUTOROTATIVE LANDING WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED WHEN THE FIRE COULD NOT BE EXTINGUISHED. DURING THE ENG TEARDOWN, IT WAS OBSERVED THAT THE 1ST STAGE TURBINE WHEEL HAD EXTENSIVE BLADE TIP DAMAGE DUE TO EXCESSIVE TEMP. IT WAS NOTED ROTATING WHEELS AND STATIONARY NOZZLES WERE BADLY DAMAGED BY EITHER HEAT OR FOREIGN OBJECT DAMAGE (FOD) OR BOTH EXCEPT FOR THE #1 NOZZLE WHICH WAS IN GOOD CONDITION. THE VARIOUS COMPONENTS APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN ASSEMBLED PROPERLY EXCEPT FOR THE #6 ENG BEARING SEAL, WHICH WAS MISSING. IT COULD NOT BE DETERMINED IF THE ROPE TYPE SEAL WAS BURNT AWAY WITH THE EXCESSIVE TEMP OR IF IT WAS LEFT OUT OF THE ASSY.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 24,985 hours in all; 1,205 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 23,305 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,004 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 26, 1986; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C18 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire in flight and on the ground
- Operator: Hilo Bay Air, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: ITO Hilo HI at 2:10 am
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 am from ITO, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.