Robinson R22 accident near Sanford, Maine, June 24, 1993
On June 24, 1993 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Robinson R22 (helicopter), registered N8557Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sanford, Maine (Sanford Municipal 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 directional control of the helicopter while hovering, resulting in the main rotor blades impacting the ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 24, 1993 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Sanford, Maine · Sanford Municipal
- 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
- N8557Y · no longer on the register · serial 463
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS PRACTICING PEDAL TURNS AT A HOVER AND HAD JUST COMPLETED A 90 DEGREE TURN FROM AN EASTERLY HEADING TO A SOUTHERLY HEADING. WHILE FACING TO THE SOUTH, THE HELICOPTER ROLLED TO THE RIGHT AND THE PILOT SAID, '...I COMPENSATED WITH LEFT CYCLIC...' THE MAIN ROTOR IMPACTED THE GROUND AND THE HELICOPTER ROTATED 180 DEGREES AROUND THE MAIN ROTOR SHAFT BEFORE COMING TO REST. THE PILOT REPORTED NO MECHANCIAL MALFUNCTIONS.
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
- Flight time: 1,349 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 1,206 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,785 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 3, 1993; 92 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SFM at 5:55 pm
- Destination: SFM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 7 knots
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 6:45 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 N8557Y 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.