19970602012289A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Gulstm AA-5B · Avon Park, FL · June 2, 1997

Date: June 2, 1997 · 08:33 local
Place: Avon Park, FL
Airport: Avon Park Municipal Airport
Phase of flight: Scud Running
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N28297
NTSB investigation: NTSBMIA97FA175
Reported as: Gulstm AA5B
Reported engine: Lycoming O360A4K
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2
Pilot’s flight hours: 705 total378 in this make and model37 in the last 90 days

N28297Registration cancelled Jan 23, 1999 · Grumman American Avn. AA-5BS/N AA5B0535 Airframe modelGrumman American Avn. AA-5B

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Entered accellerated stall trying to align with runway under a low ceiling using a non flyable drug for insomnia. (-23) investigation indicates this accident was the result of pilot error. The pilot is deceased. Witnesses reported the airplane was flying about 400 ft AGL and slow on downwind for runway 22 at Avon Park airport. As the airplane turned to final, the nose and left wing was observed to drop and the airplane crashed. Investigation indicates the engine was operating.

As the FAA filed it

ENTERED ACCELLERATED STALL TRYING TO ALIGN WITH RUNWAY UNDER A LOW CEILING USING A NON FLYABLE DRUG FOR INSOMNIA. (-23) INVESTIGATION INDICATES THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE RESULT OF PILOT ERROR. THE PILOT IS DECEASED. WITNESSES REPORTED THE AIRPLANE WAS FLYING ABOUT 400 FT AGL AND SLOW ON DOWNWIND FOR RUNWAY 22 AT AVON PARK AIRPORT. AS THE AIRPLANE TURNED TO FINAL, THE NOSE AND LEFT WING WAS OBSERVED TO DROP AND THE AIRPLANE CRASHED. INVESTIGATION INDICATES THE ENGINE WAS OPERATING.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB MIA97FA175Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportAvon Park, FLthe pilot's failure to maintain airspeed (Vso) during an approach in instrument flight conditions.Jun 2, 1997 · Destroyed