Robinson R-22A accident near Gaithersburg, Maryland, January 25, 1994
On January 25, 1994 at about 9:05 pm local time, a Robinson R-22A (helicopter), registered N8559A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gaithersburg, Maryland (Montgomery Airpark airport). It was an instructional 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 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.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 25, 1994 · about 9:05 pm local time
- Place
- Gaithersburg, Maryland · Montgomery Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R-22A · all R-22As on the register
- Registration
- N8559A · no longer on the register · serial 468
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 95 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 52 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,867 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 9, 1994; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Montgomery Aviation
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 4,196 ft by 73 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:05 pm
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 N8559A 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.