# Accident 20191229018639A: Grumman American Avn. Corp. AA-5A, New Carrollton, MD, December 29, 2019

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 29, 2019, 14:45 local time
- Place: New Carrollton, MD
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.9714° N, 76.8931° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.9714&lon=-76.8931&mi=10
- Aircraft: N26455, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N26455-2020-10-31) (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: GRUMMAN AMERICAN AVN. CORP. AA-5A
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA20FA060](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20FA060) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20191229018639A

## Narrative

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

THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED FROM KCGS RUNWAY 15 ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN AT APPROXIMATELY 1445 WITHOUT INCIDENT.  THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBED TO 1,900 FEET BEFORE ENTERING A RIGHT HAND SPIRALING DESCENT.  AT 1447 THE FINAL RADAR TARGET WAS AT 525 FEET WITH A GROUND SPEED OF 153 KNOTS.  THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED AT 6639 CHESTNUT DR. NEW CARROLLTON, MD.  THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK TREES IN THE REAR OF THE HOME BEFORE IMPACTING THE CAR PORT ATTACHED TO THE HOME, AS WELL AS A CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY. THE AIRCRAFT CAUGHT FIRE WITH DEBRIS SPREADING INTO THE STREET AND INTO THE NEIGHBOR'S YARD ACROSS THE STREET. THE MAJORITY OF THE FUSELAGE WAS CONSUMED BY FIRE, HOWEVER, FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS PROVEN.  ALL MAJOR FLIGHT CONTROL COMPONENTS WERE LOCATED AT THE SCENE.

THE ENGINE AND PROPELLER WERE INSPECTED IN THE FIELD AND BOTH SHOW EVIDENCE THAT THE ENGINE WAS PRODUCING POWER.  ONE MAGNETO WAS TESTED AND PRODUCED SPARK. THE DIRECTIONAL GYRO SHOWED ROTATIONAL SCORING. A BORESCOPE INSPECTION OF ALL 4 CYLINDERS SHOWED NO SIGNS OF DAMAGE OR EXCESS WEAR.  ROCKER COVERS WERE REMOVED AND NO DAMAGE OR EXCESSIVE WEAR WERE NOTED.  HOWEVER, THE ENGINE COULD NOT BE ROTATED DUE TO IMPACT DAMAGE.  THE PROPELLER SHOWED ROTATIONAL SCRATCHING. A WITNESS ALSO REPORTED THE AIRCRAFT TO BE LOUD PRIOR TO IMPACT.

19482 KCGS 29 19482 AUTO 00000 2SM OVC005 10/09 3003 RMK A0 I T0 I000090

## 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 ERA20FA060](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20FA060), Dec 29, 2019: American AA5 (N26455), College Park, MD, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's loss of airplane control due to spatial disorientation after entering a climbing turn in instrument meteorological conditions.

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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