# Accident 20130523009589A: American AA-1, Truckee, CA, May 23, 2013

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 23, 2013, 12:10 local time
- Place: Truckee, CA
- Airport: Trk
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.3294° N, 120.2395° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.3294&lon=-120.2395&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5909L, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5909L-2017-10-24) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: American AA-1 (registry code 0630610, https://openairdocs.org/model/american-aa-1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-235 series (registry code 41505, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMERICAN AA-1
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-235 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 15 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR13LA251](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13LA251) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130523009589A

## Narrative

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

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.

## 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 WPR13LA251](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13LA251), May 23, 2013: American AA-1 (N5909L), Truckee, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to lean the fuel mixture during takeoff in high-density altitude conditions, which resulted in a loss of engine power.

## Other reports on N5909L (1)

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

- [Incident 19870731055529I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19870731055529I), Jul 31, 1987: Gulstm AA1 (N5909L), Vancouver, WA, Minor damage. Fuel starvation just before entering the pattern. Off airport landing. Switched fuel to empty tank.

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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