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20230405012079A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Grumman G-44A · Los Alamos, NM · April 5, 2023

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
April 5, 2023 · 17:30 local
Place
Los Alamos, NM
Phase of flight
Takeoff: Departure Roll
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N444M
NTSB investigation
NTSBWPR23LA152
Reported as
Grumman G-44A
Reported engine
Fairchild 6-440 series
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificates
Airline transport, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
17,600 total8 in this make and model136 in the last 90 days
N444MRegistered now · Grumman G-44AS/N 1411Airframe modelGrumman G-44AEngine modelFairchild 6-440 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.

On April 5, 2023, at approximately 1530 MDT, a Grumman G-44A, a fixed-wing multiengine amphibious aircraft, privacy data omittedwas involved in an accident at the Los Alamos, NM, airport, klam. Both pilots (the privacy data omitted and a CFI providing dual instruction in the right seat) reported that during the takeoff roll, the pilotprivacy data omitted receiving instruction in the left seat lost directional control of the airplane, and it veered off the runway. The airplane subsequently collided with a parked, unoccupied airplane. The G44A sustained substantial damage. The right seat CFI reported that the airplane was not equipped with brakes at the right seat position. Both pilots reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. No FAA flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the Los Alamos, NM, airport, klam. The FAA atp-rated left seat pilot and the FAA atp-rated right seat CFI were not injured.

As the FAA filed it

ON APRIL 5, 2023, AT APPROXIMATELY 1530 MDT, A GRUMMAN G-44A, A FIXED-WING MULTIENGINE AMPHIBIOUS AIRCRAFT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AT THE LOS ALAMOS, NM, AIRPORT, KLAM. BOTH PILOTS (THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND A CFI PROVIDING DUAL INSTRUCTION IN THE RIGHT SEAT) REPORTED THAT DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE PILOT^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ RECEIVING INSTRUCTION IN THE LEFT SEAT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE, AND IT VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY COLLIDED WITH A PARKED, UNOCCUPIED AIRPLANE. THE G44A SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE RIGHT SEAT CFI REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH BRAKES AT THE RIGHT SEAT POSITION. BOTH PILOTS REPORTED THAT THERE WERE NO PRE-ACCIDENT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES WITH THE AIRPLANE THAT WOULD HAVE PRECLUDED NORMAL OPERATION. NO FAA FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT THE LOS ALAMOS, NM, AIRPORT, KLAM. THE FAA ATP-RATED LEFT SEAT PILOT AND THE FAA ATP-RATED RIGHT SEAT CFI WERE NOT INJURED.

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 WPR23LA152Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportLos Alamos, NMThe pilot receiving instruction’s failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll, resulting in a runway excursion and ground collision.Apr 5, 2023 · Substantial damage