Sunday, April 11, 2021

Collision During Landing: Grumman American AA-5B Tiger, N314JG; accident occurred April 21, 2020 in Bloomingdale, Chatham County, Georgia







Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Atlanta, Georgia 

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:


Location: Bloomingdale, Georgia 
Accident Number: ERA20CA155
Date & Time: April 21, 2020, 13:45 Local 
Registration: N314JG
Aircraft: Grumman AA5
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Collision during takeoff/land
Injuries: 1 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

Analysis

According to the pilot, he was returning to his home airport. The accident occurred during the landing attempt; the pilot could not recall the approach or accident sequence due to his injuries. According to a witness who lived near the airport, he heard the airplane and saw it fly over the midfield before it entered the left downwind leg of the traffic pattern for runway 13. He noted that the engine power was "pulled back." A few minutes later, the witness heard an impact. The airplane impacted trees and terrain on the left side of the runway and came to rest about 1,000 ft past the runway's approach end. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, both wings, and the empennage. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector who examined the wreckage stated that he found no preaccident anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. According to a report from an airport 10 miles southeast of the accident site, the wind was gusting to 18 knots.

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during landing with a gusting quartering tailwind.

Findings

Personnel issues Aircraft control - Pilot
Aircraft (general) - Not attained/maintained
Environmental issues Gusts - Effect on operation
Environmental issues Crosswind - Effect on operation

Factual Information

History of Flight

Approach-VFR pattern final Other weather encounter
Approach-VFR pattern final Loss of control in flight
Approach-VFR pattern final Collision during takeoff/land (Defining event)

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private 
Age: 58, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: Unknown
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None 
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 With waivers/limitations 
Last FAA Medical Exam: November 26, 2019
Occupational Pilot: No 
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: December 28, 2019
Flight Time: 1035 hours (Total, all aircraft), 1034 hours (Total, this make and model), 1012 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 6 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 3 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 1 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Grumman
Registration: N314JG
Model/Series: AA5 B 
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1975
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal 
Serial Number: AA5B-0083
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: November 13, 2019 Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2401 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 2297.61 Hrs at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming
ELT: Installed 
Engine Model/Series: O-360-A4K
Registered Owner: 
Rated Power: 180 Horsepower
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual (VMC)
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: SAV,51 ft msl 
Distance from Accident Site: 10 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 13:53 Local
Direction from Accident Site: 101°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 25000 ft AGL
Visibility 10 miles
Lowest Ceiling:
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 11 knots / 18 knots 
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:  /
Wind Direction: 290° 
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual:  /
Altimeter Setting: 29.88 inches Hg 
Temperature/Dew Point: 27°C / 7°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Statesboro, GA (TBR)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Bloomingdale, GA (GA35) 
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 12:30 Local 
Type of Airspace: Class G

Airport Information

Airport: Cypress Lakes GA35 
Runway Surface Type: Grass/turf
Airport Elevation: 30 ft msl 
Runway Surface Condition:  Dry; Vegetation
Runway Used: 13
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 2700 ft / 100 ft 
VFR Approach/Landing: Traffic pattern

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Serious
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries:
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Serious
Latitude, Longitude: 32.159721,-81.39833(est)

5 comments:

  1. Seems like a bad choice to use RWY13 with winds 290 at 11kts gusting to 19kts!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Final NTSB report has been issued. Your additional armchair speculation adds nothing.

      Delete
    2. How so? He stated factual information.

      Delete
  2. Private grass strip 2700x100 surrounded by trees with water at the end of 13. From the looks of the trees at the end of 31 from the satellite view it doesn't look very good for go arounds from the east IMHO. I could not see a wind sock from the satellite view on Google Maps.


    32.15775070732938, -81.3983081468402

    ReplyDelete
  3. Current Airport Spec's for Cypress Lakes Airport (GA35)
    http://www.airnav.com/airport/GA35

    ReplyDelete