# Accident 20030830025089A: Amrgen AA5A, Harrisville, MI, August 30, 2003

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 30, 2003, 14:15 local time
- Place: Harrisville, MI
- Airport: Harrisville Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 44.6708° N, 83.3042° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.6708&lon=-83.3042&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9574U, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9574U-2017-06-07) (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: AMRGEN AA5A
- Reported engine: LYC O320*
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 355 total, 125 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI03LA298](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI03LA298) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030830025089A

## Narrative

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

(-23) UPON DEPARTURE FROM RUNWAY #22, THE PILOT REPORTED DURING CLIMBOUT, JUST PAST 1000 MSL, HE RAISED THE FLAPS AND LOWERED THE NOSE TO LEAVE THE PATTERN WHEN THE ENGINE CUTOUT/LOST POWER. PILOT DID QUICK REVIEW; MAGNETOS ON, FUEL PUMP ON, FULL THROTTLE & MIXTURE SETTING GOOD. PILOT READIED AIRCRAFT FOR LANDING. AREA IS HEAVILY FORESTED AND THE PILOT SAYS HE CHOSE THE AREA WITH THE SMALLEST TREES AND TRIED TO MANEUVER IT IN. PILOT REPORTS LEFT WING WAS FIRST TO IMPACT TREES, THEN THE RIGHT WING AND THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED ALMOST STRAIGHT DOWN, DAMAGING THE LANDING GEAR. PILOT AND 2 PAX SAFELY EVACUATED AIRCRAFT WITH MINOR INJURIES. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION BY THIS OFFICE REVEALED NO APPARENT ENGINE OR FUEL DISCREPANCIES. THE PROPELLER & SPINNER DID NOT APPEAR TO HAVE ROTATIONAL IMPACT MARKINGS INDICATING THE ENGINE RUNNING AT TIME OF IMPACT. RELAYED FINDINGS TO NTSB AND NTSB REQUESTED AIRPORT MGR AT 5Y0 TO ATTEMPT ENGINE START. ENGINE REPORTEDLY STARTED & RAN WITHOUT PROBLEM. NOTE: AIRCRAFT WAS NOT INVESTIGATED AT IMPACT SCENE. IT HAD BEEN REMOVED TO HARRISVILLE CITY YARD. NTSB CLASSIFYING AS UNDETERMINED ENGINE FAILURE.

## 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 CHI03LA298](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI03LA298), Aug 30, 2003: Grumman American AA-5A (N9574U), Harrisville, MI, substantial damage. Probable cause: The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons and the unsuitable terrain encountered during the forced landing. A factor to the accident was the trees.

## Other reports on N9574U (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 19770515012249A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19770515012249A), May 15, 1977: Grumav AA5A (N9574U), Sheffield, TX, Substantial damage

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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