20080711840589A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Amrgen AA-5A · Denton, TX · July 11, 2008

Date: July 11, 2008 · 16:50 local
Place: Denton, TX
Airport: Denton Municipal
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N9678U
NTSB investigation: NTSBDFW08CA183
Reported as: Amrgen AA5A
Reported engine: Lycoming O320*
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,059 total200 in this make and model11 in the last 90 days

N9678URegistration cancelled Sep 8, 2009 · Grumman American Avn. AA-5AS/N AA5A0044 · Built 1975 Airframe modelGrumman American Avn. AA-5A 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) Approx five statue miles (sm) west of Denton Municipal Airport at 3500 feet mean sea level (MSL) the aircraft lost power due to fuel exhaustion in the right wing tank. The pilot declared an emergency and was immediately directed to Denton airport by air traffic control. The pilot made a turn to the north to execute a final approach to runway 17 but was unable to glide the distance to the airport and was forced to land in a field about 1 mile short of the runway. A hard landing resulted collapsing the landing gear and causing substantial damage to the aircraft. Investigation indicates the pilot did not attempt to switch to the left tank at any time, which contained fuel.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) APPROX FIVE STATUE MILES (SM) WEST OF DENTON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT AT 3500 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL (MSL) THE AIRCRAFT LOST POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION IN THE RIGHT WING TANK. THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND WAS IMMEDIATELY DIRECTED TO DENTON AIRPORT BY AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL. THE PILOT MADE A TURN TO THE NORTH TO EXECUTE A FINAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 17 BUT WAS UNABLE TO GLIDE THE DISTANCE TO THE AIRPORT AND WAS FORCED TO LAND IN A FIELD ABOUT 1 MILE SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. A HARD LANDING RESULTED COLLAPSING THE LANDING GEAR AND CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. INVESTIGATION INDICATES THE PILOT DID NOT ATTEMPT TO SWITCH TO THE LEFT TANK AT ANY TIME, WHICH CONTAINED FUEL.

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 DFW08CA183Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportDenton, TXThe pilot's inadequate fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation and the subsequent loss of engine power.Jul 11, 2008 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N9678U · 1

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

Accident 19790428007209AFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Columbus, OHNo. 3 cylinder exhaust valve face had separated and was found in the ventura of the carburetor shutting off fuel.Apr 28, 1979 · Substantial damage