# Accident 20080411842709A: Amrgen AA5A, Sour Lake, TX, April 11, 2008

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 11, 2008, 15:30 local time
- Place: Sour Lake, TX
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 30.2061° N, 94.4986° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.2061&lon=-94.4986&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9764U, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9764U-2012-08-21) (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
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 400 total, 79 in this make and model, 12 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN08LA074](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN08LA074) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080411842709A

## Narrative

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

(-23) PILOT WAS IMC AND FLEW INTO A LNE OF FST MOVING INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS (LEVEL 3&4).  HE DID NOT HAVE RADAR OR XM WEATHER ONBOARD THE AIRCRAFT.  THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTRED SEVERE TURBULENCE.  DURING THE INITIAL UPDRAFT; THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNCONTROLLABLE, RESULTING IN A STALL/FLAT-SPIN.  THE ENGINE LOST POWER SHORTLY AFTER THE THROTTLE WAS REDUCED TO IDLE.  THE POSSIBLE CAUSE FOR THE ENGINE FAILURE WAS CARBURETOR ICING AND OR UN-PORTING OF FUEL IN THE CARBURETOR.  THE AIRCRAFT FLAT-SPUN IN IMC CONDITIONS.  THE PILOT CLAIMS HE WENT VMC OUT OF 1800 FEET BUT CONTINUED THE FLAT SPIN UNTIL IMPACT.  AIRCRAFT DESTROYED DUE TO COLLAPSED LANDING GEAR, BENT WINGS, AIRFRAME, AND ENGINE BREAKING OFF THE ENGINE MOUNTS.

## 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 DEN08LA074](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN08LA074), Apr 11, 2008: Grumman American AA-5A (N9764U), Beaumont, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inability to maintain aircraft control in cruise flight and encounter with a thunderstorm. Contributing to the accident was an inadvertent stall/spin.

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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