Robinson R22 accident near Gaithersburg, Maryland, November 5, 1983
On November 5, 1983 at about 9:10 pm local time, a Robinson R22 (helicopter), registered N8414H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gaithersburg, Maryland (Montgomery County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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
- November 5, 1983 · about 9:10 pm local time
- Place
- Gaithersburg, Maryland · Montgomery County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R22 · all R22s on the register
- Registration
- N8414H · no longer on the register · serial 0355
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 22,735 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 153 in the last 90 days; 22,515 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 153 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 29, 1983; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 4,200 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; not recorded at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:54 pm from DCA, 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.
Other NTSB records under N8414H the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.