What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On January 5, 2020 at approximately 1900Z, a Grumman American AA-5A single engine aircraft, N9593U departed on a VFR flight from the hendersonville, NC (0A7) airport. The personal sight seeing flight was conducted in visual meteorological conditions (VMC) under 14 CFR part 91 operating rules with three passengers on board.
No flight plan was filed for the estimated 45 minute flight.
The pilot departed to the east to fly over some scenic sights and then demonstrate some basic aircraft maneuvers. The pilot climbed to 4200' MSL to demonstrate a stall. The pilot stated the aircraft was configured with flaps up, power off and a 15 degree nose up angle of attack (AOA). When the stall occurred the aircrafts right wing dropped rapidly and the aircraft entered a spin. The pilot stated he tried to apply opposite rudder drop the aircrafts nose and adding power but that did not correct the flat spin they entered into.
The aircraft experienced a loss of control and impacted the terrain in Rutherfordton, NC. The pilot and 2 passengers received minor injuries while 1 passenger suffered serious but not life threatening injuries.
Investigation found the airman was current and qualified and the aircraft was in an airworthy condition. Other than the loss of control, no other mechanical discrepancies were reported.
As the FAA filed it
ON JANUARY 5, 2020 AT APPROXIMATELY 1900Z, A GRUMMAN AMERICAN AA-5A SINGLE ENGINE AIRCRAFT, N9593U DEPARTED ON A VFR FLIGHT FROM THE HENDERSONVILLE, NC (0A7) AIRPORT. THE PERSONAL SIGHT SEEING FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (VMC) UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 OPERATING RULES WITH THREE PASSENGERS ON BOARD.
NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE ESTIMATED 45 MINUTE FLIGHT.
THE PILOT DEPARTED TO THE EAST TO FLY OVER SOME SCENIC SIGHTS AND THEN DEMONSTRATE SOME BASIC AIRCRAFT MANEUVERS. THE PILOT CLIMBED TO 4200' MSL TO DEMONSTRATE A STALL. THE PILOT STATED THE AIRCRAFT WAS CONFIGURED WITH FLAPS UP, POWER OFF AND A 15 DEGREE NOSE UP ANGLE OF ATTACK (AOA). WHEN THE STALL OCCURRED THE AIRCRAFTS RIGHT WING DROPPED RAPIDLY AND THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A SPIN. THE PILOT STATED HE TRIED TO APPLY OPPOSITE RUDDER DROP THE AIRCRAFTS NOSE AND ADDING POWER BUT THAT DID NOT CORRECT THE FLAT SPIN THEY ENTERED INTO.
THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF CONTROL AND IMPACTED THE TERRAIN IN RUTHERFORDTON, NC. THE PILOT AND 2 PASSENGERS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES WHILE 1 PASSENGER SUFFERED SERIOUS BUT NOT LIFE THREATENING INJURIES.
INVESTIGATION FOUND THE AIRMAN WAS CURRENT AND QUALIFIED AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN AN AIRWORTHY CONDITION. OTHER THAN THE LOSS OF CONTROL, NO OTHER MECHANICAL DISCREPANCIES WERE REPORTED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.