# Accident 19970809022419A: Amrgen AA5, Lower Brule, SD, August 9, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 9, 1997, 20:10 local time
- Place: Lower Brule, SD
- Damage: Damage unknown
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 44.0710° N, 99.5803° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.0710&lon=-99.5803&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7148L, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7148L-1998-08-06) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Grumman American Avn. AA-5 (registry code 3960104, https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-american-avn-aa-5) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMRGEN AA5
- Reported engine: LYC O320E2G
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 1,488 total, 1,025 in this make and model, 28 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI97FAMS3](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI97FAMS3) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970809022419A

## Narrative

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

AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO THE MISSOURI RIVER. (.4)A WITNESS, WHO WAS FISHING, SAID THE AIRPLANE PASSED OVER AT LOW ALTITUDE AND THAT THERE WAS NO NOISE FROM THE ENGINE. HE REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE THEN COLLIDED WITH WATER, NOSED OVER, AND SANK A SHORT TIME LATER. THE AIRPLANE HAD DEPARTED AN AIRPORT ABOUT 180 MILES FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE WITH FULL FUEL. THE PILOT'S FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR ESTIMATED THAT AFTER BEING SERVICED WITH FULL FUEL, THE AIRPLANE'S NO-WIND RANGE WAS BETWEEN 586 AND 625 MILES, DEPENDING ON THE ALTITUDE FLOWN AND POWER SETTING USED. WITNESSES SAW NO DEBRIS, FUEL, OR OIL SLICK IN THE AREA WHERE THE AIRPLANE SANK. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT RETRIEVED DUE TO WATER CONDITIONS.                             (-23) ON AUGUST 9, 1997, AT 2010 MDT, A GRUMMAN-AMERICAN AA-5, N7148L, PILOTED BY A PRIVATE PILOT, COLLIDED WITH THE SURFACE OF LAKE SHARPE, ABOUT 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF LOWER BRULE, SOUTH DAKOTA.  THE AIRPLANE SANK AND HAS NOT BEEN RECOVERED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PERSONAL 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT HAD BEEN OPERATING ON A VFR FLIGHT PLAN.  THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED AND HIS BODY WAS RECOVERED 5                                  DAYS AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED SIUOX CITY, IOWA, EXACT TIME UNKNOWN. INVESTIGATION WILL CONTINUE IF AND WHEN THE AIRCRAFT IS RECOVERED.

## 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 CHI97FAMS3](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI97FAMS3), Aug 10, 1997: Grumman American AA-5 (N7148L), Lower Brule, SD, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: undetermined due to the accident airplane not being available for examination.

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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