Wayne Dennis Bilheimer
Agency patch
Trooper

Wayne Dennis Bilheimer

Pennsylvania State Police — Harrisburg, PA
Accident
End of Watch April 12, 1989
Age 44
Tour of Duty 21 yrs 3 mo
Gender Male

Incident

Trooper Wayne Bilheimer and Corporal Paul Almer were killed in a helicopter crash at approximately 0730 hours while searching for a body in the Susquehanna River in southern York County, Pennsylvania. Corporal Almer was piloting the aircraft when it struck high-voltage power lines at an altitude of approximately 90 feet. The helicopter crashed into approximately ten feet of water, with both officers trapped inside. Trooper Bilheimer succumbed to multiple trauma injuries and Corporal Almer drowned. Both officers were found still strapped into their harnesses. Trooper Bilheimer had served with the Pennsylvania State Police for 21 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife of 24 years.

In Our Keeping

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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

21 years. You could have gone home.
Trooper Bilheimer gave the Pennsylvania State Police 21 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the people of Pennsylvania. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Trooper Bilheimer.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type State Police
Location Harrisburg, Dauphin County, PA
Platform Identity pasp.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 12, 1989
Tour of Duty 21 yrs 3 mo
Age 44
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

Wayne is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1989, 84 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 21st heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Wayne was 44. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36. Wayne had served 21.2 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

April holds 7% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Wednesdays: 14.5%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Pennsylvania State Police has 87 officers remembered here, Wayne among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Trooper Wayne Dennis Bilheimer

Pennsylvania State Police · End of Watch April 12, 1989

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 10-E

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