NTSB Identification: CEN15FA347
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, August 09, 2015 in Harrisburg, IL
Aircraft: GRUMMAN AMERICAN AVN. CORP. AA 5A, registration: N9684U
Injuries: 2 Fatal.
NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
HISTORY OF FLIGHT
On August 9, 2015, about 2050 central daylight time, a Grumman AA-5A airplane, N9684U, impacted terrain in the Shawnee National Forest near Harrisburg, Illinois. The student pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Dark night visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the route of flight, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from the Marion-Crittenden County Airport (5M9), Marion, Kentucky, about 2030, and was en route to the Williamson County Regional Airport (KMWA), Marion, Illinois.
The pilot was not on a flight plan and was not in radio contact with any air traffic control center. An unconfirmed message from the pilot to his spouse about 2045 reported that the pilot was going to return to the airport; presumably 5M9. The airplane was located on August 10 in a heavily wooded area of the Shawnee National Forest.
A search of radar facilities did not find any primary or secondary radar targets consistent with the accident airplane. The airplane's exact route of flight could not be determined.
PERSONNEL INFORMATION
The pilot, age 36, held a combined student pilot and second class medical certificate issued on May 21, 2015. At the time of his application for the medical certificate, the pilot reported logging 30 hours of total time with 20 hours accumulated in the preceding six months.
The pilot's log book was not recovered during the course of the investigation, and the pilot's total experience could not be determined. It could not be determined if the pilot had received recent flight instruction and if he possessed a current solo endorsement. The amount of experience he had flying at night could not be determined.
The passenger was not pilot rated and the student pilot was not authorized to fly with passengers.
AIRCRAFT INFORMATION
The accident airplane was a Grumman AA-5A, serial number AA5A-0050, manufactured in 1975. It was powered by a 150-horsepower, normally aspirated, Lycoming O-320-E2G engine which drove a metal, 2-bladed, fixed-pitch, McCauley 1C172/BTM7359 propeller. The airplane's logbooks were not recovered and the airplane's maintenance history was not established. A September 7, 2013 auction listing for the airplane on an internet page, reported the engine hours at 7,578 hours, which also appeared in an included interior photo of the airplane's instrument panel.
METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION
A review of weather information revealed that at 1900 a low pressure system was over western Illinois with an associated frontal wave. A warm stationary front was in the immediate vicinity of the accident site which had the potential to form a partially cloudy sky. The closest weather reporting facility was the Harrisburg-Raleigh Airport (HSB), Harrisburg, Illinois, located about 15 nautical miles north of the accident site at an elevation of 398 feet mean sea level (msl). At 2035 the weather reporting facility at HSB reported wind from 070° at 3 knots, visibility 5 miles in mist, a clear sky, temperature 77° F, dew point 77° F, and a barometric pressure of 29.91 inches of mercury.
Data from the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) 13 system found that at 2035, the accident site was located in an area ahead of a large mesoscale convective system (MCS). The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Severe Storms Laboratory defines a MCS as "a collection of thunderstorms that act as a system. An MCS can spread across an entire state and last more than 12 hours." Astronomical Conditions for the accident site found that the moon had set at 1648 and was below the horizon at the time of the accident.
There is no evidence of the pilot receiving a weather briefing prior to the flight.
WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION
At the beginning of the debris path, several broken and downed trees tops were found with airplane wing parts suspended in the trees and on the ground. About 55 yards from the start of the tree strikes, generally aligned along a 320° magnetic heading, was an impact point that was about 2.5 feet deep. The main wreckage had come to rest partially outside of the impact point. The debris field continued another 25 yards through the trees. Impact signatures were consistent with the airplane impacting the ground at least 25° nose low.
Portions of the right wing were found near the tree strikes with left wing components found next when walking towards the impact crater. The engine and propeller were found at the bottom of the impact crater with the fuselage and empennage resting on top of the engine. Both wings were fragmented in multiple locations. When reconstructed, all flight controls were accounted for without any evidence of preimpact damage. The engine was removed from the fuselage and examined down to its crankshaft. No preimpact anomalies were detected with the engine. The propeller remained attached the engine at the propeller flange. One blade was curled rearward and displayed chordwise scratches, gouges, and leading edge polishing. The other blade remained straight with light leading edge polishing. No preimpact anomalies were detected with the airframe or engine.
A majority of the cockpit instrumentation was destroyed by impact force. The ignition switch was in the both position. The turn and slip indicator displayed a 45° right bank. The altimeter's Kollmans window displayed 29.92. The emergency location transmitter (ELT) was found separated from the airplane and the switch was found in the OFF position. Soil was deposited in the area surrounding the switch and its preimpact position could not be determined.
MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION
Although requested, the Pope County Coroner's Office did not perform an autopsy on the pilot, as the office deemed it not necessary due to the high velocity nature of the airplane crash.
A few milliliters of blood were recovered by the Country Coroner's Office. The entire sample was sent to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI) for toxicology. The sample was marked putrefied. Testing detected 29 mg/dL of ethanol.
NTSB Identification: CEN15FA347
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, August 09, 2015 in Harrisburg, IL
Aircraft: GRUMMAN AMERICAN AVN. CORP. AA 5A, registration: N9684U
Injuries: 2 Fatal.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On August 9, 2015, about 2050 central daylight time, a Grumman AA-5A airplane, N9684U, impacted terrain in the Shawnee National Forest near Harrisburg, Illinois. The student pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Dark night visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the route of flight, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from the Marion-Crittenden County Airport (5M9), Marion, Kentucky, about 2030, and was en route to the Williamson County Regional Airport (KMWA), Marion, Illinois.
The airplane was located on August 10 in a heavily wooded area of the Shawnee National Forest. At the beginning of the debris path, several broken and downed trees tops were found with airplane wing parts suspended in the trees and on the ground. About 55 yards from the start of the tree strikes was an impact point that was about 2.5 feet deep. Near the impact point was the main wreckage. The debris field was aligned with a 320° magnetic heading and continued another 25 yards.
The airplane was retained for further examination.
At 2055, an automated weather reporting facility located at KMWA, about 20 nautical miles northwest of the accident site reported a wind from 210° at 3 knots, visibility 10 miles, a broken ceiling at 8,000 feet, temperature 81° F, dew point 77° F, and barometric pressure of 29.92 inches of mercury. It listed a remark for lightning to the distant west and northwest of the station.
FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Springfield FSDO-19
Any witnesses should email witness@ntsb.gov, and any friends and family who want to contact investigators about the accident should email assistance@ntsb.gov.
POPE COUNTY, IL (KFVS) - Pope County Sheriff Jerry Suits has released the name of the victims of the small plane crash.
He said the two victims, father and son, were Tommy Snyder, 59, of Zeigler, Ill., and Erich Snyder, 36, of Carterville, Ill.
Sheriff Suits say it took a while to identify the bodies and the Pope County Coroner had been waiting to notify the family members.
He said he was told it was a leisure trip for the two men. They spent the day in Marion, Ky.
NTSB and FAA are still investigating the crash. They are still on scene with the wreckage.
The Pope County sheriff said the investigation into a plane crash is just getting started.
Investigators say hikers found debris from the plane just after 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 10 and called for help.
Members of the search crew identified the plane. They say it was in a ditch off of one of the main cliffs in Burden Falls in the Shawnee National Forest. We're told both people on board the plane were killed, their names have not been released.
"The works not done," said Sheriff Jerry Suits. "We've got a big part of this completed, but the works not done here. We've got an incident, a scene here that we're going to have to clean up and we have the proper people here that's going to make that happen for us. We've still got to identify the bodies that was there."
The sheriff said he was happy to have found the plane, but he was hoping for better results.
"I'm very pleased about that," he said. "I think I said earlier that I wasn't pleased with my results, I'm now pleased with the results. As for the family, I'm sadden by it. I'm Pope County sheriff. It's not supposed to happen in my county, it can happen somewhere else, but don't happen here. So, that bothers me, but it got some closure now for the families and we're hoping to get there real quick for them."
The NTSB and FAA have taken over the investigation and will be releasing information at it becomes available.
Sheriff Suits said the plane was headed to Illinois with two people on board.
He said contact with the plane was lost some time during a storm. He said the pilot sent his wife a text message around 8:55 p.m. on Sunday saying he was flying in rough weather and having trouble. The plane wasn't heard from again.
Earlier on Monday afternoon, while still looking for the plane, he said they were doing their best, but having no luck.
The dense forest and rugged terrain slowed down the search for debris.
"It makes it very difficult of us," Sheriff Suits said. "We've had planes in the air today, looking down. We're looking for anything and right now we're not finding it."
Crews were focusing the search in the Shawnee National Forest. Deputies with multiple sheriff's departments and volunteers searched for more than 16 hours before hikers found the plane in a ravine.
"I'm gonna tell you I'm not Superman, but I'm going to stay out here until we find that aircraft," Sheriff Suits said.
Officials say they received reports of a possible plane crash early on Monday morning involving a single engine Cheetah Tiger, blue/white in color.
Officials were searching for evidence of a crash by ground and air, reportedly near the One Horse Gap area.
The search had been going on since approximately 2:30 a.m. by planes, horses and ATVs. Police say the forest canopy was making it extremely hard for searchers to find debris.
Illinois State Police, Emergency Management personnel, and Forest Service personnel were aiding in the search.
The Saline County Sheriff's Office, who was also aiding in the investigation, said the aircraft left from Marion, Ky. and was en route to Marion, Ill. when officials lost track of it.
Story, video and photo gallery: http://www.kfvs12.com
POPE COUNTY, IL (KFVS) -
The Pope County Sheriff's Department said they have found the wreckage of a plane in Pope County, Ill. on Monday, Aug. 10.
According to Illinois State Police, there were no survivors from the crash in the Shawnee National Forest. Names of the victims are not being released pending family notification.
Pope County Sheriff Jerry Suits said the plane was found in western Pope County at about 6:40 p.m. by a U.S. Forest Service worker.
According to Peter Knudson with NTSB, they are investigating the crash of a Grumman AA-5B.
Knudson said on Monday night that an investigator was on his way to the area.
Sheriff Suits said a plane was headed to Illinois with two people on board.
He said contact with the plane was lost some time during a storm. He said the pilot sent his wife a text message around 8:55 p.m. on Sunday saying he was flying in rough weather and having trouble. The plane wasn't heard from again.
Earlier on Monday, while still looking for the plane, he said they were doing their best, but having no luck.
"It makes it very difficult of us," Sheriff Suits said. "We've had planes in the air today, looking down. We're looking for anything and right now we're not finding it."
Crews were focusing the search in the Shawnee National Forest.
"I'm gonna tell you I'm not Superman, but I'm going to stay out here until we find that aircraft," Sheriff Suits said.
Officials say they received reports of a possible plane crash early on Monday morning involving a single engine Cheetah Tiger, blue/white in color.
Officials were searching for evidence of a crash by ground and air, reportedly near the One Horse Gap area.
The search had been going on since approximately 2:30 a.m. by planes, horses and ATVs. Police say the forest canopy was making it extremely hard for searchers to find debris.
Illinois State Police, Emergency Management personnel, and Forest Service personnel were aiding in the search.
The Saline County Sheriff's Office, who was also aiding in the investigation, said the aircraft left from Marion, Ky. and was en route to Marion, Ill. when officials lost track of it.
Source: http://www.kfvs12.com
The crash site is near Burden Falls in the Shawnee National Forest. ISP Troopers confirm to Local 6's Holden Kurwicki that the hiker discovered two deceased people inside the plane. The identities of the deceased are not being released at this time.
ORIGINAL STORY: The Pope County Sheriff's Office says they are looking for a plane that went missing Sunday night.
Pope County Sheriff Jerry Suits says they have set up a command center at Union Social Brethren Camp north of Eddyville, IL.
"They've been able to get an area here that we're getting more comfortable with searching and that's what we're going to do,” said Suits.
According to Suits, the plane took off from the Marion-Crittenden County Airport in Marion, Kentucky, Sunday afternoon with two people on board. The sheriff's office got a call around 2:30 a.m. that the plane may have gone missing.
They have already cleared a rural area of One Horse Gap Lake near Herod where they believed the downed plane might have been.
The entire search area is between Marion, Illinois and Marion, Kentucky and rough terrain has made coordinating search efforts a virtual nightmare.
"We don't have any cell service out here,” said Suits. “We have all of this technology, and I've got two of them and I can't get either one to work, but that's Pope County we're used to that."
To bridge the gaps in this rural area crews have relied on volunteers familiar with the terrain, but to this point no debris has been found.
"I've got some volunteers here on horseback and four wheelers that are helping us out,” said Suits. “It's a group effort for us and we appreciate their help."
However to this point, searchers have yet to find any evidence that the plane, and its two passengers, are nearby.
"I'm not Superman, but I'm going to stay out here until we find that aircraft,” said Suits.
Source: http://www.wpsdlocal6.com
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