# Accident 19980813020679A: Gulstm AA5B, Decatur, IN, August 13, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: August 13, 1998, 12:30 local time - Place: Decatur, IN - Airport: Decatur Hi-Way Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct) - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 40.8291° N, 84.9204° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.8291&lon=-84.9204&mi=10 - Aircraft: N74827, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N74827) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Grumman American Avn. AA-5B (registry code 3960105, https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-american-avn-aa-5b) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: GULSTM AA5B - Reported engine: LYC O360A4K - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 1,200 total, 400 in this make and model, 14 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI98LA311](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA311) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980813020679A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ACFT DID NOT GAIN SPEED ON TAKEOFF BUT GAINED 25 FEET IN ALTITUDE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE ACFT, BOUNCED TWICE ON THE GROUND. (.19)ON AUGUST 13, 1998, AT 1330 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME (EDT), A GRUMMAN AMERICAN AA-5B, N74827, REGISTERED TO SKY RANGERS OF DETROIT, INC., OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A COLLISION WITH THE TERRAIN SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM DECATUR HI-WAY AIRPORT, DECATUR, INDIANA. THE PRIVAT RATED PILOT REPORTED NO INJURIES. THE PERSONAL 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT WAS NOT OPERATING ON A FLIGHT PLAN. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED DECATUR HI-WAY AIRPORT, DECATUR, INDIANA, AT 1330 EDT, WITH AN INTENDED DESTINATION OF DETROIT METROPOLITAN WAYNE COUNTY AIRPORT, DETROIT, MICHIGAN. (.4) ON AUGUST 13, 1998, AT 1230 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME (EDT), A GRUMMAN AMERICAN AA-5B, N74827, REGISTERED TO SKY RANGERS OF DETROIT, INC., OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A COLLISION WITH A RUNWAY MARKER AND THE TERRAIN SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM THE DECATUR HI-WAY AIRSTRIP, DECATUR, INDIANA. THE PRIVATE PILOT REPORTED NO INJURIES. THE PERSONAL 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT WAS OPERATING IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN. THE FLIGHT WAS DEPARTING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WITH A DESTINATION OF PORT HURON, MICHIGAN. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE LOCAL WINDS WERE CALM SO HE DECIDED TO USE RUNWAY 18 FOR TAKEOFF BECAUSE OF THE DOWNHILL GRADE. HE REPORTED THAT HE BEGAN THE TAKEOFF 20 FEET FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE AIRSTRIP BECAUSE THE GRASS WAS LONG. THE PILOT REPORTED THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF ABOUT 1/2 WAY DOWN THE AIRSTRIP AT 65 KNOTS WITH 10 DEGREES OF FLAPS. HE REPORTED HE ATTEMPTED TO KEEP THE AIRPLANE CLOSE TO THE GROUND TO GAIN AIRSPEED BECAUSE IT FELT A "LITTLE MUSHY." THE PILOT REPORTED HE REMOVED THE FLAPS HOPING TO PICK UP AIRSPEED, BUT "THINGS JUST GOT WORSE." THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A RUNWAY MARKER ALONG THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. IT THEN BOUNCED ON THE AIRSTRIP, CROSSED OVER A ROAD, AND CAME TO REST IN A SOYBEAN FIELD. A POST ACCIDENT TEST RUN OF THE ENGINE WAS PERFORMED. THE ENGINE OPERATED UP TO 2,000 RPM WITH NO ABNORMALITIES NOTED. (-23) AIRCRAFT SETTLED BACK TO GROUND AFTER PILOT RETRACTED FLAPS JUST AFTER LIFTOFF. AIRCRAFT STRUCK RUNWAY MARKER, BOUNCED OVER A ROAD AND CAME TO REST IN A FARMERS FIELD. ## 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 CHI98LA311](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA311), Aug 13, 1998: Grumman American AA-5B (N74827), Decatur, IN, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the takeoff and his premature raising of the flaps which resulted in the stall/mush condition. 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.