# Accident 19961229040739A: Gulstm AA5A, Banning, CA, December 29, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 29, 1996, 11:15 local time
- Place: Banning, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Unauth Low Level Opns
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.9508° N, 116.8307° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.9508&lon=-116.8307&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9944U, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9944U-2008-07-08) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Grumman American Avn. AA-5A (registry code 3960106, https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-american-avn-aa-5a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: GULSTM AA5A
- Reported engine: LYC O320E2G
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 860 total, 49 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX97LA079](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX97LA079) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19961229040739A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ENGINE SPUTTERED EN ROUTE. STRUCK POWER LINE CHANGING FUEL TANKS. OBSERVED LOW IN CANYON. FUEL TANKS LEAKING FUEL.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX97LA079](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX97LA079), Dec 29, 1996: Grumman American AA-5A (N9944U), Banning, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's intentional low flight in an area of foothills and canyons at an altitude insufficient to maintain clearance from obstacles.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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