# Accident 20230818014389A: Grumman American Avn. Corp. AA-5B, Kernville, CA, August 18, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 18, 2023, 20:00 local time
- Place: Kernville, CA
- Airport: Monache Meadows Air Strip
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Other, Specify
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.2267° N, 118.1661° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.2267&lon=-118.1661&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4537Y, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4537Y-2024-12-03) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Grumman American Avn. AA-5B (registry code 3960105, https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-american-avn-aa-5b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: GRUMMAN AMERICAN AVN. CORP. AA-5B
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O&VO-360 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,097 total, 16 in this make and model, 70 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR23LA322](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA322) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230818014389A

## Narrative

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

THE PILOT APPROACHED THE MOUNTAINOUS AIR STRIP FOR THE STATED PURPOSE OF INSPECTING THE CONDITION OF THE LANDING SURFACE. THIS INFORMATION WAS FOR USE BY AQUAINAINCES WHO PLANNED TO LAND AT THE AIRSTRIP IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS. THE PILOT REPORTED ADDING FLAPS, SLOWING AND MAKING A LOW PASS FROM SOUTH TO NORTH AT APPROXIMATELY 100' AGL. FULL POWER WAS THEN APPLIED AND A RIGHT TURN TO THE EAST WAS MADE TO REMAIN WITHIN A SMALL VALLEY TO GAIN ALTITUDE. THE PILOT REPORTED "FEELING" A DOWNDRAFT AND THE AIRPLANE DID NOT CLIMB. CONTROL WAS MAINTAINED AT LOW AIRPEED WHILE THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO SINK. CONTACT WITH THE GROUND WAS MADE AND THE AIRPLANE CAME TO A STOP UPRIGHT, BUT SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED BY THE VEGETATION AND ROUGH GROUND. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER EGRESSED THE AIRPLANE AND SOUGHT OUT ASSISTANCE.

## 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 WPR23LA322](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA322), Aug 19, 2023: Grumman American Avn. AA-5B (N4537Y), Lone Pine, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inability to maintain altitude after encountering a downdraft, which resulted in collision with terrain.

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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