20130523009589A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · American AA-1 · Truckee, CA · May 23, 2013

Date: May 23, 2013 · 12:10 local
Place: Truckee, CA
Airport: Trk
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N5909L
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR13LA251
Reported as: American AA-1
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-235 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 15 in this make and model20 in the last 90 days

N5909LRegistration cancelled Oct 24, 2017 · American AA-1S/N AA1-0209 · Built 1969 Airframe modelAmerican AA-1 Engine modelLycoming 0-235 series4 cycle

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.

The aircraft lost engine power at about 8500 feet AGL during the initial takeoff climb out and impacted several trees at the 7700 foot level about 8 miles east of Truckee, CA. (Trk) the airplane was owned by a private individual and piloted by a commercial pilot who was ferrying the airplane to new york for the new owner. The pilot was the sole occupant and was ejected from the airplane and sustained serious injuries. No flight plan was filed.

In conversation with the pilot he stated that he leaned the engine using the EGT prior to departing Truckee. A post accident investigation revealed the aircraft was not equipped with an EGT. Additionally, post accident engine evaluation revealed the engine rotated without resistance, developed compression and both magneto supplied electrical spark when rotated by hand.

As the FAA filed it

THE AIRCRAFT LOST ENGINE POWER AT ABOUT 8500 FEET AGL DURING THE INITIAL TAKEOFF CLIMB OUT AND IMPACTED SEVERAL TREES AT THE 7700 FOOT LEVEL ABOUT 8 MILES EAST OF TRUCKEE, CA. (TRK) THE AIRPLANE WAS OWNED BY A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL AND PILOTED BY A COMMERCIAL PILOT WHO WAS FERRYING THE AIRPLANE TO NEW YORK FOR THE NEW OWNER. THE PILOT WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT AND WAS EJECTED FROM THE AIRPLANE AND SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.

IN CONVERSATION WITH THE PILOT HE STATED THAT HE LEANED THE ENGINE USING THE EGT PRIOR TO DEPARTING TRUCKEE. A POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AN EGT. ADDITIONALLY, POST ACCIDENT ENGINE EVALUATION REVEALED THE ENGINE ROTATED WITHOUT RESISTANCE, DEVELOPED COMPRESSION AND BOTH MAGNETO SUPPLIED ELECTRICAL SPARK WHEN ROTATED BY HAND.

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 WPR13LA251Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportTruckee, CAThe pilot's failure to lean the fuel mixture during takeoff in high-density altitude conditions, which resulted in a loss of engine power.May 23, 2013 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N5909L · 1

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

Incident 19870731055529INormal Cruise · Vancouver, WAFuel starvation just before entering the pattern. Off airport landing. Switched fuel to empty tank.Jul 31, 1987 · Minor damage