# Incident 20060409004559I: Amrgen AA5, Imperial Beach, CA, April 9, 2006

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 9, 2006, 11:06 local time
- Place: Imperial Beach, CA
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.5654° N, 117.1146° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Imperial Beach, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.5654&lon=-117.1146&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5477L, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5477L) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Grumman American Avn. AA-5 (registry code 3960104, https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-american-avn-aa-5) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMRGEN AA5
- Reported engine: LYC O320*
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 9,600 total, 100 in this make and model, 270 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060409004559I

## Narrative

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

(-23) DURING THE PILOT'S PRELIGHT, HE DISCOVERED DEBRIS INSIDE OF THE ENGINE COWLING CONSISTENT WITH WHAT YOU MIGHT SEE WHEN A BIRD IS BUILDING A NEST. HE STATED THAT HE REMOVED THE MATERIAL BEFORE DEPARTING. AT ABOUT 2500 FEET, HE INITIATED A DESCENT AND SELECTED CARBURETOR HEAT. AT THIS POINT, THE ENGINE QUIT AND HE WAS UNABLE TO GET IT RESTARTED. HE MADE A SUCCESSFUL EMERGENCY LANDING AT A NEARBY MILITARY AIRFIELD. WHEN THE ENGINE COWLING WAS REMOVED, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT AN OIL-SOAKED COTTON-LIKE MATERIAL HAD BECOME LODGED IN THE VENTURI OF THE CARBURETOR. IT WAS ASSUMED THAT THIS WAS DEBRIS THAT HAD NOT BEEN REMOVED AND WAS SUCKED INTO THE CARBURETOR WHEN CARBURETOR HEAT WAS SELECTED. THIS MATERIAL BLOCKED THE AIRFLOW THROUGH THE CARBURETOR AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO STOP RUNNING.

## Other reports on N5477L (1)

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

- [Incident 19910122004309I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19910122004309I), Jan 22, 1991: Gulstm AA5B (N5477L), Kelso, WA, Minor damage. Pilot made a hard landing on a touch and go 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.

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