Roll of Honor
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
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-PA-563F97F6- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Wayne. Claim this record.
This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.
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
Service Record
Incident Details
Trooper Wayne Dennis Bilheimer is one of 10,094 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,586 officers honored here.
In PA, 417 of 1,261 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 33.1% of this state's fallen. That is 2.1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At Pennsylvania State Police, 42 of 87 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 48.3% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Wayne Dennis Bilheimer's cause is highlighted.
How Wayne Dennis Bilheimer Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Wayne Dennis Bilheimer is highlighted in Apr.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
86 officers from Pennsylvania State Police are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
