Montgomery Airpark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Gaithersburg, Maryland 20879
Tuesady, January 25, 1994 16:05 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was in the process of being trained to fly helicopters and did not have a helicopter rating. The pilot had accumulated about 19 hours of total helicopter flight time when the accident occurred. He did possess a private pilot fixed wing certificate at the time of the accident. The pilot was performing a supervised solo and was hovering over the runway at the termination of his fourth approach. He said the low RPM light illuminated and he lowered the collective. He lost control of the helicopter and it descended to the runway. The helicopter bounced on both skids and returned to the runway. The helicopter's left skid contacted the runway and the helicopter rolled over.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ROTOR RPM WHICH LED TO AN IN FLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL RESULTING IN A COLLISION WITH THE RUNWAY AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLING OVER ON ITS SIDE. A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE FLYING HELICOPTERS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/25/1994
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1605
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City GAITHERSBURG
Event State MARYLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 20879
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MONTGOMERY AIRPARK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID GAI
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 539
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 1605 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1035
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 25 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2130
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 10:23AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8559A
NTSB Number BFO94LA035
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name ROBINSON
Aircraft Model R-22A
Aircraft Series Identifier R-22A
Aircraft Serial Number 468
Certified Max Gross Weight 1370
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jan 9 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 40
Airframe Hours 3867
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVID CARR
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7920 AIRPARK ROAD
Aircraft Owner City GAITHERSBURG
Aircraft Owner State MD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 20879
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MONTGOMERY AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 7920 AIRPORT ROAD
Operator City GAITHERSBURG
Operator State MD
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 20879
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Hover
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 14
Runway Length 4196
Runway Width 73
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --