Thursday, September 29, 2022

Grumman American AA-5B Tiger, N74349: Fatal accident occurred September 28, 2022 near Flying Diamond Airpark (6AZ8), Pima County, Arizona

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.

Investigator In Charge (IIC): Salazar, Fabian

Additional Participating Entity:
Frank Waterhouse; Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Scottsdale, Arizona 


Location: Tucson, Arizona
Accident Number: WPR22FA361
Date and Time: September 28, 2022, 09:00 Local
Registration: N74349
Aircraft: GRUMMAN AMERICAN AVN. CORP. AA-5B
Injuries: 1 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

On September 28, 2022, about 0900 mountain standard time, a Grumman American Aviation AA5B airplane, N74349, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Sahuarita, Arizona. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

According to the pilot’s partner, he planned to fly from the Flying Diamond Airport (6AZ8), Sahuarita, Arizona, to Ryan Field Airport (RYN), Tucson, Arizona, to practice touch and go landings and then return to 6AZ8. Automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) data, provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), showed that the airplane depart from 6AZ8 about 0830 and travelled to RYN. The airplane made three traffic patterns and then returned to 6AZ8. While on the downwind leg for runway 25, the airplane decelerated to about 59 knots groundspeed, then began to accelerate as it entered the base leg. The airplane’s speed was about 88 knots when it crossed the runway threshold and reduced to about 65 knots when it was mid-field. The last ADS-B data point recorded the airplane about 70 knots near the departure end of the runway.

The airplane came to rest in vegetation covered terrain about 150 feet west of the departure end of runway 25. A postimpact fire consumed most of the fuselage and wings. The top three strands of a barbed wire fence, located at the end of the runway, were fractured. Several bushes and trees between the runway and the wreckage exhibited breaks in the branches.

The airplane was recovered to a secure location for further examination.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: GRUMMAN AMERICAN AVN. CORP.
Registration: N74349
Model/Series: AA-5B 
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built:
Operator: 
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Operator Designator Code:

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: 
Condition of Light:
Observation Facility, Elevation:
Observation Time:
Distance from Accident Site: 
Temperature/Dew Point:
Lowest Cloud Condition:
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: / ,
Lowest Ceiling: 
Visibility:
Altimeter Setting: 
Type of Flight Plan Filed:
Departure Point: 
Destination:

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal 
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: 
Aircraft Fire: On-ground
Ground Injuries: 
Aircraft Explosion: Unknown
Total Injuries: 1 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 31.937408,-111.12437

Those who may have information that might be relevant to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation may contact them by email witness@ntsb.gov, and any friends and family who want to contact investigators about the accident should email assistance@ntsb.gov. You can also call the NTSB Response Operations Center at 844-373-9922 or 202-314-6290.

Aircraft crashed under unknown circumstances short of the runway. 

Date: 28-SEP-22
Time: 19:01:00Z
Regis#: N74349
Aircraft Make: GRUMMAN AMERICAN
Aircraft Model: AA-5B
Event Type: ACCIDENT
Highest Injury: FATAL
Total Fatal: 1
Flight Crew: 1 Fatal 
Pax:0
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: DESTROYED
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 91
City: TUCSON
State: ARIZONA

Bart Prieve, 76, unexpectedly passed away on September 28th, 2022, in Sahuarita, Arizona just outside of Tucson. He crashed while trying to land his plane, a single engine Grumman American AA5B Tiger. Bart’s dream was to be a pilot. He started his training in Illinois in 1974 and obtained his single engine license in 1976. He had flown in his Tiger since 1978, and it had taken him to many wonderful places, including the Bahamas, Florida, California, Yellowstone National Park, and over the Grand Canyon to St. George, Utah. He also entered his Tiger in air show competitions in Iowa, Texas, and California, winning “Best in Show” and “Best in Class” at a Grumman convention in California in 2005.

Bart was born March 28th, 1946, in Washington, D.C., to Charles and Margaret (Timm) Prieve. His family moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he spent his childhood. He graduated from Whitefish Bay High School in 1964. During his youth, Bart was heavily involved in DeMolay International, where he served as Master Counselor for the local chapter in Milwaukee, Longvic Raon, and then Master Counselor for the entire state of Wisconsin.

Bart graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a BA with honors in Mathematics in 1968. He began work with AT&T Bell Laboratories in Naperville, Illinois, in the same year and was supported by Bell Labs to get his MS degree (1969), followed by his PhD (1973), in Electrical Engineering at the University of California at Berkeley. His PhD work and thesis were among the first work at Berkeley on computer operating systems. At Bell Labs, he worked on the computer systems used to develop software for large telephone switching systems.

In 1977, Bart was promoted and transferred to Bell Labs’ Holmdel, New Jersey, location, where he started a team to develop UNIX for IBM computers. He transferred to Bell Labs in Denver, Colorado, in 1981, where he continued to work on operating systems. In 1986, he began his work in supporting communication companies that used AT&T products. That work led to many great experiences with companies around the globe. In 1998, he moved to Bonn, Germany, where he worked with Deutsche Telekom. He returned to Denver in 2000, retiring from Bell Labs. He then launched his consulting firm, TIGI (Technology Insights Group, Inc.), working on patent law in telecommunications.

Bart married JoAnn Zelasko in September 1976, although the wedding was postponed by a week to accommodate his baseball team’s end of season celebration. Even after their divorce, they remained on good terms. Their wonderful sons, Daniel, born in 1986, and Stephen, born in 1991, were a constant source of pride to their parents, especially as they achieved success in their own careers. Bart was especially proud that his son, Stephen, was following in his steps to become a pilot, and they often spoke after Stephen’s flying lessons.

Upon retiring, Bart began volunteering extensively at his sons’ schools, and was frequently the only male to serve on the Cherry Creek High School PTO. Softball became Bart’s primary hobby, and he became an instrumental part of Scrap Iron Softball Club. He was installed in the Scrap Iron Hall of Fame and was presented with the Founders Award, the highest recognition the club gives. Bart also coached several teams, making sure that every player batted, and he was one of the originals of the Scrap Iron Diamonds. He also served on the Scrap Iron board of directors.

Bart met Sharon Withrow at a social club in which they shared similar interests in politics. He and Sharon began traveling to softball tournaments throughout the country and eventually she became the scorekeeper for his team. Bart bought a house outside of Tucson, Arizona, in 2011 on an airstrip with a hangar for his Tiger. He and Sharon began wintering in Arizona, where Bart could fly his plane whenever he wanted. He also joined BAJA Sporting Club, and played in the Allison (competitive) League, and even managed a team this past snowbird season. Bart and Sharon also began globetrotting, traveling to different countries around the world, and visited six different continents. They had planned to visit their seventh continent, Antarctica, in November.

Bart was a devoted father and grandfather, and valued his friends and loved ones greatly. Bart is survived by his partner, Sharon, his son, Daniel and his wife Laurie, his son, Stephen and his girlfriend, McAllister, his grandchildren, Charles (Charlie) and Annabelle, Sharon’s son, Eric Withrow and his wife, Susanne, Sharon’s daughter, Laura Mazotti, and her children, Jonathon and Matthew. Bart is also survived by his brother, Charles (Chuz) and his wife, Chris, his sister, Margaret (Meg) Kleeb, and several nephews and nieces. He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Margaret, his brother, Ross, and brother-in-law, John Kleeb.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Angel Flight West: https://www.angelflightwest.org/give

38 comments:

  1. Stall/spin? It looks like a strange flight, he was flying really low, just a few/couple hundred feet above the ground, then he slowed way down and suddenly was in a 1,000 fpm descent where he didn’t have anything close to 1,000 feet to work with.

    Sad, condolences to his family.

    ReplyDelete
  2. His take-off from 6AZ8, field elev 3,800'msl (Rwy 07) is at 08:32 MST (Arizona stays on MST year around) and his 3 landing "passes" are at Ryan Field (KRYN) rwy 06R, with listed TDZE 2399' msl, were all headed into the East wind on that morning.
    note: It appears in ADSB data his GPS alt across KRYN rwy 06R is 2,300', about 100 lower than the listed 06R TDZE of 2,399' MSL.
    RYN ASOS:
    KRYN 281645Z 10012KT 10SM CLR 31/12 A3010

    N74349's adsb track replay for 28 Sept 2022 is here:
    https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N74349

    KRYN listed Pattern Alt is 3,200 MSL.

    The pilot's first landing attempt at KRYN looks like he gets very low on the final approach but still manages a rwy touch-down, as his altitude reaches a constant (flat) of 2,300' GPS alt at a touchdown ground speed of 78 mph, with a final approach speed in the low 80's mph. His other two passes it doesn't appear to go well. His 2nd "landing pass" he gets to about 2,400' GPS alt. and then accelerates to 105mph as he descends to down to 2,300' near the departure end of the rwy, e.g. he was too high on the approach. His 3rd approach and pass the pilot gets the g/s down to 74mph at 200 ft AGL (~2,500' gps alt), but again too high but then watch his ground speeds down the runway as he quickly accelerates. All his "over the threshold" ground speeds are in the 79 to 83 mph range.
    At ~10kt (~12 mph) headwind on final would make his approach IAS around 91-95 mph, touching down around 90 mph on his first KRYN landing. But obviously he had problems judging the fast downwind ground speeds, then turning to base being too high on final on the 2nd and 3rd attempts.

    Look at his ground speeds going up to KRYN, where the winds are a direct 90ยบ right crosswind.
    His g/s up to KRYN is a steady 113 mph. But the 2 mid-field downwind g/s (PA at KRYN is 3,000 MSL) are 145 mph and 127 mph. This tells us the wind at altitude was up to 30 mph.

    On his return, the pilot levels-out at 4,500 MSL and his g/s gets up to 117 mph at level off. So this is similar to his flight up to KRYN at 3,200 MSL to 3,400 MSL, and tells us the winds at altitude were a near-direct left crosswind, probably 20-30 mph.

    At 6AZ8, the pilot is attempting a downwind (which is really an "into the wind" Downwind) to a RWY 25 landing (i.e. downwind!! on a 2,600' long runway) with a 400' - 500' AGL pattern altitude on the downwind.
    The plane's g/s on downwind gets down ~81 mph, then the g/s down ~72 mph, then the pilot starts turn to left base (from a strong headwind, into a strong downwind), and bad stuff obviously happens.
    On base now at only 400'AGL turning downwind to final, going from maybe a 15-20 mph headwind to 15-20 mph tailwind. Remember he likely had ~90 mph over the threshold at KRYN 12 minutes earlier. The pilot probably lets his airspeed plummet as the the plane was turning to a tailwind with power at idle takes away his airspeed. The plane's inertial speed can't keep up with the fall-off in airspeed and the power likely at idle. IAS is likely plummeting toward Vstall, as the plane rolls to final, and the rocky desert floor coming up too quick.
    Bottomline, the pilot couldn't adjust fast enough with power and the altitude was too low to avoid impact with terrain, and his attempts to land at KRYN suggests a proficiency problem for the pilot with strong winds with an attempted downwind landing.
    Even if the pilot had been able to salvage that approach, that 15-20 mph tailwind likely meant the aircraft would not have been able stop before reaching the end of the 2,600' runway unless he nailed the landing right at the numbers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Pilot continued on his approach and completed a touch and go at 6AZ8 that Flightaware's data capture dropout hid from your analysis.

      Look here:
      https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=aa00b5&lat=31.939&lon=-111.120&zoom=14.2&showTrace=2022-09-28

      Delete
    2. Jay Vega, CFI Emergency Low Maneuvering 10 kindsTuesday, October 4, 2022 at 2:19:00 AM EDT

      I flew Grummans as PPL in the 1970's and as CFI too in the 1990's. Some mediocre pilots fall in love w them. Bad idea. They point at your mistakes. Not a Cessna. You need to be good and quick on Forward Slips due they are cleaner than Cessnas.
      Then the idiots want to buy them and cheat. Cheat by flying them at lower TPA's. And lower airspeeds too, to avoid doing a needed forward slip they clods cannot do well or prolonged as needed. They stall them on approach that way.

      Mediocre pilots should not buy Grummans, RV's, Lancairs , etc.

      Delete
  3. If the listed aircraft owner for N74349 is current in the FAA N-number look-up was also the pilot in this accident, then Barton Gerald Prieve was flying on a Basic Medical, dated 1/15/2022, and a PP-ASEL license with instrument rating. The Basic Medical suggests this may have been an older pilot as well. Additionally, these sunny Arizona private airpark landing strips are usually maintained by a handful of homeowners co-located around the field with private hangers next to the home. Again suggests a retiree age, i.e. older pilot. Also FlightAware returns no other flt track logs for N74349 in the previous 90 days.

    Maybe a proficiency and age issue here.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey you idiot I am 80 yeats old and I bet I can fly your pants off. So watch your mouth

      Delete
    2. Well … I’m 67 … I hope I get to 80.

      Delete
    3. These young whippersnappers. I watched a few of my friends being stupid when they were in their twenties; then dead.
      I can't fly the way I did when I was 21 in 1971, but we had to deal with crossing VOR radials, ADF's, and roads.
      Things are different, but to attack a man who died because of his age is
      reprehensible.
      It is coming for all of us.
      Even you.

      Delete
    4. Flying is not for the old, I'm smart enough to know this. I'll hang up my wings at 65. Your ego will eventually kill you.

      Delete
  4. Other Internet accessible info on Barton G. Prieve does indicate this gentleman was born is 1946, so 76 yrs old. Voting records showed he had been a registered Democrat while residing in the Denver area as the owner of a telecom consulting business, which also matches the aircraft's still registered address, and more recently (last few years) relocated to southern Arizona and PPL data and aircraft reg had not caught up yet with the relocation.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Replies
    1. The best part is, one less democrat

      Delete
    2. Democrats are race-baiting for "fun and profit, "... and it's working on the left. It's corrosive to our American values. On a day when our Democrat vice-president has said FEMA aid will be doled out according to race/ethnicity. Dems no longer support equality. They’ve moved on to “equity,” which means redistributing wealth based on race. In other words, socialism is wrapped-up in racism. It's like saying, "You're the wrong color, we won't help you." It's sinful... it's racist... it's Un-American, and it's where the Democrat party is today. It's shameful. Every Democrat is a fraud.

      Delete
    3. Been a Democrat makes you weak and sentimental for criminals and liars. To the point that. You become either one. Or Both. And the worst pilot defect is... Been a liar.

      "No problem for me flying in bad weather, no problem for me flying in extreme winds, no problem for me landing on that small runway, no problem for me not reporting my doctor says im diabetic, no problem for me declaring my real fat weight, no problem for me declaring on medical my heart condition is bad. No problem.... Liar..
      Too many like that.

      Delete
    4. Congratulations, this is officially the stupidest thread I've ever read. Somehow dragging politics into this, relating it to ADM, and celebrating his death because it means "one less democrat". How about you drop the politics for once and show some respect for the deceased.

      Delete
    5. Great news to start the day!

      Delete
    6. Thank God for Ron DeSantis!
      Florida is a law and order state. Looting and lawlessness will not be tolerated.

      Delete
    7. When Tuesday, October 4, 2022 at 9:55:00 AM EDT dies, I'll be saying one less Democrat also.

      Delete
    8. Taking sides and fighting about politics is exactly the same as the old farmer's hack for killing off fire ant mounds. Find two mounds and take a big scoop from each using two shovels, dropping each load into the other's mound. The ants from the opposite colonies fight each other and attack the queen of the mound they invaded. Usually both mounds are ended, and the ants don't realize that the farmer holds the shovels and stokes the conflict.

      People are being stoked to fuel disagreement. Stop hating each other based on politics and identity groups because neither you or that other person is holding the shovels. Those who do hold the shovels are laughing at us.

      Delete
    9. Changing this discussion to a “political zealots” rant shows the degradation of the intelligence level of our world. Wow. Extremely small minds. And you choose a site that discusses GA incidents/accidents to make your puny point because? Because? (Would love to hear)

      Delete
    10. So…let me get this straight…you’re happy that a man (I doubt a fellow pilot ) is dead? Real classy. Because of his very personal political affiliation? F you. I thought Neanderthals had died out. But no. They live on in KR’s comment section.

      Delete
  6. Well, long, flat approaches are NORMAL in a Tiger. So are rapid decsents. So are practicing slow and fast approaches. So is not flying the same boring approach every time. I NEVER try the same approach every time in my AA5A. I would suspect that something other than age is to blame, possibly a fuel issue.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Maybe an approach with 10-15 knot tailwind on a short 2300 foot runway, late attempt to go around, end up in the trees past the end. RIP

    ReplyDelete
  8. Pretty clear from prevailing winds at 6AZ8, the aircraft's ground speeds on the "downwind leg", the base entry altitude, and combined with obvious problems 20 minutes earlier on developing a stabilized approach and landing at KRYN (into a 15-20 mph headwind for a 5,500' x 75' rwy), that things weren't going well. The Pilot stalled the airplane on the base to final turn is the short answer.
    Whether the plane spun-in vertically, or more a wings level pancake the NTSB can figure out.
    Desert Star Airpark, 6AZ8 with a 07/25 2,650' x 35' asphalt strip, is a clearly a challenging runway for a faster airplane like the Tiger. Looking at the terrain on the east side, the big transmission power line on the north side, a smaller power line 800' from the east end, and a 80' elevation upslope runway east to west, and not wanting to bust into Tucson Cat C airspace, all combine to make that a lousy airpark for low proficiency pilots. The runway upslope explains why the pilot wanted the tailwind landing I suppose.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Pilot did not stall the airplane on the base to final turn.

      Pilot continued on his approach and completed a touch and go at 6AZ8 that Flightaware's data capture dropout doesn't show.

      Look here:
      https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=aa00b5&lat=31.939&lon=-111.120&zoom=14.2&showTrace=2022-09-28

      Delete
    2. Got mis-reported as "crashed short of runway" due to low info assumption of an upwind landing. It was a crash after the downwind touch and go departure. The elaborate and incorrect interpretations seen in these comments demonstrate how easily armchair analysis can be completely wrong.

      Delete
  9. correction: Flying Diamond, not Desert Star Airpark. 6AZ8.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Does Tiger have shorter wings and higher approach speed than Cessnas and Pipers ?

    Tigers are harder to land than many planes due to faster approach

    ReplyDelete
  11. Tiger is not hard to land. Normal approach speed with flaps down at max gross is about 69 knots. Some people believe there is some super high approach speed required, and they float for an extended period of time, or try to force it on the ground, which can result in porpoising and loss of control.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Had the canopy slid back part way to beat the heat, then it slipped back all the way and drag got him, perhaps. Well known tendency of that aircraft.

    ReplyDelete
  13. One cannot go by ADSB speed readouts as far as ability is concerned, I have 23,000 hours and my pattern speeds varied widely for various reasons..Age really does become a factor....Speed should never be below 65-70 knots until short final in almost all S/E GA planes.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Yet another case where the pilot seems to have aged out on his landing attempt.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Any and all political comments need be deleted .

    ReplyDelete
  16. I got my PPL in an AA-1 and then bought an AA-5B. Couldn't believe how much better the Grummans flew than Cessnas.

    ReplyDelete