# Accident 20070922020989A: Amrgen AA5A, Ashland, KY, September 22, 2007

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 22, 2007, 14:56 local time
- Place: Ashland, KY
- Airport: Ashland Regional
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.5544° N, 82.7381° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.5544&lon=-82.7381&mi=10
- Aircraft: N26442, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N26442-2017-06-19) (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 O320E2G
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 0 total, 0 in this make and model, 0 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA07LA155](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA07LA155) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070922020989A

## Narrative

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

(-23) WITNESSES STATE: THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ REPLACED THE VACUUM PUMP ON HIS GRUMMAN AA-5A, INSTALLING IT INCORRECTLY, WITH ONE WASHER INSTALLED BETWEEN THE PUMP FLANGE AND ENGINE CASE CREATING AN OIL LEAK. AFTER THE PUMP WAS INSTALLED THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ FLEW FROM HIS GRASS STRIP IN GRAYSON KENTUCKY TO ASHLAND AIRPORT (KDWU). ALL, OR ALMOST ALL, OIL WAS LOST IN FLIGHT AND THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE AND OVERHEATED ON THE LAST PORTION OF THE FLIGHT. WHEN THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ARRIVED AT ASHLAND AIRPORT HE MET WITH ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THE AIRCRAFT WAS TRAILING SMOKE FROM THE EXHAUST. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ INSPECTED THE AIRCRAFT AND FOUND "COPIOUS" AMOUNTS OF OIL IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND NO OIL ON THE DIP STICK. FURTHER INSPECTION REVEALED THE IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE VACUUM PUMP. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ INSTALLED THE PUMP CORRECTLY, CLEANED THE OIL, AND ADDED FOUR QUARTS OF OIL TO THE ENGINE, LEAVING THE ENGINE AT LEAST THREE QUARTS LOW. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THEN DEPARTED ASHLAND AIRPORT ATTEMPTING TO FLY HOME. HE RETURNED AFTER A SHORT FLIGHT AND PARKED IN FRONT OF THE FBO AT ASHLAND AIRPORT. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WALKED OVER TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HANGAR. HE MENTIONED TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THAT "IT GOT HOT ON HIM AGAIN", THE AIRCRAFT HAD HIGH CYLINDER HEAD TEMPERATURE, AND THE OIL TEMP ROSE TOWARD THE RED LINE. THE THREE MEN ADVISED THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TO CUT THE OIL FILTER OPEN AND INSPECT IT FOR METAL CONTAMINATION. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DECLINED AND STATED HE HAD "GET-HOME-ITIS." THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PURCHASED AND INSTALLED FOUR MORE QUARTS OF OIL. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THEN DEPARTED ASHLAND AIRPORT A SECOND TIME ATTEMPTING TO FLY HOME AGAIN. ON DEPARTURE THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED INTERNAL FAILURE AND SEPARATION BETWEEN THE NUMBER FOUR PISTON AND THE CRANKSHAFT. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ MADE A RADIO CALL TO UNICOM THAT HE WAS LANDING IN THE WATER. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PERFORMED AN EMERGENCY LANDING INTO THE OHIO RIVER WHERE THE AIRCRAFT SUNK AND THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DROWNED.

## 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 MIA07LA155](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA07LA155), Sep 22, 2007: Grumman AA-5A (N26442), Worthington, KY, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The separation of the engine's No. 4 piston from the crankshaft for unidentified reasons and the pilot's continued operation with known equipment deficiencies.

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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