Montgomery County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Gaithersburg, Maryland 20879
Saturday, November 5, 1983 16:10 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING HIS 2ND SOLO FLT IN THE ROBINSON R22, THE PLT PERFORMED 2 LOW 'G' MANEUVERS. THE 1ST MANEUVER WAS ESSENTIALLY THE SAME AS WHEN HE PRACTICED IT DURING A CHECK-OUT FLT. HOWEVER, THE 2ND MANEUVER PRODUCED A RAPID RIGHT ROLL TO APRX 60 DEG OF BANK. THE PLT RECOVERED IN A DESCENDING RIGHT TURN. AFTER RECOVERY, THE ACFT SEEMED TO BE OPERATING NORMALLY. BEFORE LANDING, HE PRACTICED AN AUTOROTATIVE APCH TO A POWER ON RECOVERY WITHOUT TOUCHING DOWN. SEVERAL LANDING WERE MADE, BUT HE STATED ALL TOUCHDOWNS WERE NORMAL. A POST FLT INSPECTION REVEALED THE MAIN ROTOR SPINDLES HAD BUMPED THE MAST AT THE TEETERING STOPS, RESULTING IN DENTS UP TO .045 TO .50 INCH IN THE MAST. ALSO, THE MAIN ROTOR SPINDLE ARMS (HORNS) HAD CONTACTED THE DROOP STOPS, SHEARING THE DROOP STOP RETAINER BOLT & BENDING THE SPINDLE HORNS. ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER, THE DROOP STOP/BOLT DAMAGE COULD ONLY OCCUR DURING A HARD LANDING OR NEGATIVE 'G' FLT. THE FLT MANUAL & SAFETY NOTICE #11 WARNS: RECOVERY FROM ROLL DUE TO LOW 'G' MUST BEGIN WITH AFT CYCLIC FIRST TO PREVENT MAST BUMPING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/5/1983
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1610
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City GAITHERSBURG
Event State MARYLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 20879
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MONTGOMERY COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID GAI
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 540
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1554 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 170
Weather Observation Facility ID DCA
Elevation of weather observation facility 15
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 21
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
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 Light
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) 2253
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 22594
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:16AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8414H
NTSB Number ATL84FA045
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 R22
Aircraft Series Identifier R22
Aircraft Serial Number 0355
Certified Max Gross Weight 1300
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 29 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 75
Airframe Hours 153
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AERO FLIGHT LTD
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7940 AIRPARK DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City GAITHERSBURG
Aircraft Owner State MD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 20879
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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) Personal
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 Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 4200
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --