Hiller FH-1100 accident near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, April 26, 1983
On April 26, 1983 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Hiller FH-1100 (helicopter), registered N4034K, was destroyed in an accident near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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 26, 1983 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Gettysburg, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hiller FH-1100
- Registration
- N4034K · no longer on the register · serial 500
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,500 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 127 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 25, 1982; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Gettysburg PA at 11:50 am
- Destination: York PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from HAR, 50 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N4034K the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.