# Accident 19980529011529A: Gulstm AA1C, Roanoke, TX, May 29, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: May 29, 1998, 09:30 local time - Place: Roanoke, TX - Airport: Northwest Regional Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 33.0009° N, 97.2303° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.0009&lon=-97.2303&mi=10 - Aircraft: N9606U, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9606U-2001-10-12) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Grumman American Avn. AA-1C (registry code 3960100, https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-american-avn-aa-1c) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: GULSTM AA1C - Reported engine: LYC O320D2B - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 9,213 total, 47 in this make and model, 25 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW98LA242](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA242) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980529011529A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ACFT ENGINE QUIT ON TAKEOFF, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN, ROANOKE, TX (.4) DURING THE INITIAL TAKEOFF CLIMB, THE ENGINE GRADUALLY LOST POWER, AND THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED INTO TREES APPROXIMATELY 1/4 MILE FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED EVIDENCE THAT THE POWER LOSS RESULTED FROM AN EXCESSIVELY RICH MIXTURE. BLACK CARBON DEPOSITS WERE PRESENT ON THE EXHAUST VALVES AND EXHAUST STACKS OF TWO CYLINDERS, AND THE ENGINE OIL DRAINED FROM ALL THE CYLINDERS CONTAINED AVIATION FUEL. EXAMINATION OF THE CARBURETOR REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY DISCREPANCIES THAT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A RICH MIXTURE. THE REASON FOR THE EXCESSIVELY RICH MIXTURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. (-23) ON MAY 29, 1998, AT APPROXIMATELY 9:15 AM, N9606U, A GRUMMAN AMERICAN PILOTED BY MR. PAT CARR, EXPERIENCED ENGINE FAILURE WHILE TAKEOFF TO THE SOUTH FROM NORTHWEST REGIONAL AIRPORT IN ROANOKE, TEXAS. AFTER ATTAINING AN ALTITUDE OF 50 FEET, THE AIRCRAFT STALLED AND CRASHED IN A WOODED AREA AND CAME TO REST IN AN INVERTED POSITION. THIS RESULTED IN MINOR INJURIES TO THE PILOT AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS DEMOLISHED. AS A RESULT OF AN ENGINE TEARDO WN ON JUNE 25, 1998, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED DUE TO CARBURATOR ICE. (.19) ON MAY 29, 1998, AT 0930 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A GRUMMAN AMERICAN AA-1C AIRPLANE, N9606U, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER NEAR ROANOKE, TEXAS. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT, OWNER/OPERATOR AND SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRPLANE, SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING FROM THE NORTHWEST REGIONAL AIRPORT, ROANOKE, TEXAS, AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE HAD PLANNED TO FLY THE AIRCRAFT TO CARSWELL AIRFORCE BASE, FORT WORTH, TEXAS. HE REPORTED THAT THE PRE-FLIGHT CHECKS AND RUN-UP WERE "ROUTINE," WITH NO DISCREPANCIES. HE DEPARTED FROM RUNWAY 17 AND IMEDIATELY REALIZED THAT THE ENGINE WAS GRADUALLY LOSING POWER. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE CONTINUED STRAIGHT AHEAD AND ATTEMPTED TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED. THE AIRCRAFT ATTAINED AN ALTITUDE APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL BEFORE DESCENDING INTO TREES. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST 1/4 MILE FROM THE DE PARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY, IN THE INVERTED POSITION. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE MOUNT WAS BENT. THE RIGHT WING SUSTAINED LEADING EDGE DAMAGE AND THE SPAR WAS EXPOSED. THE LEFT WING SUSTAINED LEADING EDGE DAMAGE. BOTH WING-TIPS SEPARATED FROM THE WINGS. THE TAIL SECTION OF THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. ## 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 FTW98LA242](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA242), May 29, 1998: Grumman American AA-1C (N9606U), Roanoke, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The loss of engine power resulting from an excessively rich mixture for an undetermined reason. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.