20040523012649A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Amrgen AA-5 · Greene, RI · May 23, 2004

Date: May 23, 2004 · 17:40 local
Place: Greene, RI
Airport: Riconn Airport
Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N7132L
NTSB investigation: NTSBNYC04CA129
Reported as: Amrgen AA5
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 330 total300 in this make and model40 in the last 90 days

N7132LRegistration cancelled Aug 2, 2004 · Grumman American Avn. AA-5S/N AA5-0432 · Built 1973 Airframe modelGrumman American Avn. AA-5 Engine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

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.

(-23) The pilot's written statement for a CT state police officer stated: his total experience at the airstrip is one full stop landing. The windsock showed calm. His intention was to conduct a soft field departure. He set the flaps to approximately 10 degrees. After becoming airborne he pushed forward to gain airspeed and that the aircraft did not appear to gain airspeed. He continued to pull up in an attempt to climb over the tree line. He felt the aircraft hit something. The aircraft settled toward a cornfield. The airplane stopped in trees. ASI observed that the grass on the takeoff area was approximately three inches high. The pilot's operating handbook (POH) requires a retracted flap setting for normal, short field and soft field takeoffs. The POH also requires that airspeed be established at 70 knots and then the flaps retracted during a go around.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE PILOT'S WRITTEN STATEMENT FOR A CT STATE POLICE OFFICER STATED: HIS TOTAL EXPERIENCE AT THE AIRSTRIP IS ONE FULL STOP LANDING. THE WINDSOCK SHOWED CALM. HIS INTENTION WAS TO CONDUCT A SOFT FIELD DEPARTURE. HE SET THE FLAPS TO APPROXIMATELY 10 DEGREES. AFTER BECOMING AIRBORNE HE PUSHED FORWARD TO GAIN AIRSPEED AND THAT THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT APPEAR TO GAIN AIRSPEED. HE CONTINUED TO PULL UP IN AN ATTEMPT TO CLIMB OVER THE TREE LINE. HE FELT THE AIRCRAFT HIT SOMETHING. THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED TOWARD A CORNFIELD. THE AIRPLANE STOPPED IN TREES. ASI OBSERVED THAT THE GRASS ON THE TAKEOFF AREA WAS APPROXIMATELY THREE INCHES HIGH. THE PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK (POH) REQUIRES A RETRACTED FLAP SETTING FOR NORMAL, SHORT FIELD AND SOFT FIELD TAKEOFFS. THE POH ALSO REQUIRES THAT AIRSPEED BE ESTABLISHED AT 70 KNOTS AND THEN THE FLAPS RETRACTED DURING A GO AROUND.

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 NYC04CA129Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportGreene, RIThe pilots improper decision to depart with the flaps set to 10 degrees, and his failure to obtain proper airspeed, which resulted in a collision with trees.May 23, 2004 · Substantial damage