Fairchild Hiller FH-1100 accident near Longview, Washington, March 18, 1983
On March 18, 1983 at about 11:10 pm local time, a Fairchild Hiller FH-1100 (helicopter), registered N26631, was destroyed in an accident near Longview, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was 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
- March 18, 1983 · about 11:10 pm local time
- Place
- Longview, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Fairchild Hiller FH-1100 · all FH-1100s on the register
- Registration
- N26631 · no longer on the register · serial 225
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SEVERAL PERSONS SAW THE HELICOPTER FLYING AT A CRUISING ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 200 TO 300 FT, THEN ENTER A LOOP TYPE OF MANEUVER. THEY LOST SIGHT OF THE HELICOPTER NEAR THE BOTTOM OF THE MANEUVER BEFORE IT CRASHED. THE PLT RECEIVED SERIOUS HEAD INJURIES & COULD NOT RECALL WHAT HAD HAPPENED. AN EXAM OF THE AIRFRAME REVEALED THAT THE TRANSMISSION & MAIN ROTOR HUB ASSY HAD REMAINED PARTIALLY ATTACHED TO THE AIRFRAME THRU THE LEFT & RIGHT LONGITUDINAL TRANSMISSION STRUTS. BOTH THE LEFT & RIGHT VERTICAL AS WELL AS BOTH LEFT & RIGHT LATERAL TRANSMISSION STRUTS HAD SEPARATED NEAR THEIR ATTACH POINTS. A METALLURGICAL EXAM OF THESE PARTS REVEALED THAT FITTING ASSEMBLY, PN 24-61022-6 HAD FAILED AT A FATIGUE CRACK. ADDITIONALLY, CORROSION WAS FOUND WITHIN THE LEFT VERTICAL & LATERAL (ADJUSTABLE) TRANSMISSION STRUTS. PREIMPACT CONTINUITY OF THE CYCLIC PITCH CONTROL WAS VERIFIED.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,443 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,725 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 15, 1983; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C18B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Longview WA at 11:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 55 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from TDO, 21 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.