- Date
- June 24, 1993, 14:45 local (18:45 UTC)
- Place
- Sanford, ME
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N8557YRobinson R22
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 13, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930624052449A
- Case key
- 38611
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the helicopter while hovering, resulting in the main rotor blades impacting the ground.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
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.
Factual narrative
On Thursday, June 24, 1993, at about 1445 eastern daylight time, a Robinson R22, N8557Y, piloted by Mr. Richard Kirkham, collided with the terrain while at a hover at the Sanford Airport, Sanford, Maine. The helicopter was substantially damaged. The pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan had been filed. The flight was being conducted under 14 CFR 91.
According to the pilot's statement on the NTSB Form 6120.1/2:
...I was practicing left pedal turns in an..area about 500' southeast of runway 7/25 which was inactive at the time. The surrounding terrain is flat with no obstructions and supports bushes which range from 6" to 12" and pose no problem to hovering and/or landing rotorcraft...I was in a stable hover between 3' and 5' while facing east. I executed a 90 degree pedal turn to a stop while facing south. The helicopter seemed to roll to the right so I compensated with left cyclic...the main rotor contacted the ground and the helicopter rotated 180 degrees around the main rotor shaft...
The pilot had a total of 27.5 flight hours in rotorcraft and this make and model helicopter.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8557Y
- Reported as
- Robinson R22
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 463
- Airframe hours
- 3,785
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2C, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Jack Mccormick, doing business as Rotorcraft Inc.
- Registered owner
- Elmo J. Rainville
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 3, 1993 · 92 hours before
- Departed
- SFM
- Destination
- SFM
- Airport
- SFM · Sanford Municipal
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 51
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 1,349 total · 28 in this make and model · 1,206 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 7 knots
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N8557Y · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.