ATL04CA174

NTSB accident investigation · Grumman American AA1C · Boone, NC · September 4, 2004

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
September 4, 2004, 16:00 local (20:00 UTC)
Place
Boone, NC
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N137YGrumman American AA1C
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report December 3, 2004
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
20040904023559A
Case key
60315

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

On this page

Probable cause

The pilot's selection of the wrong runway, and his misjudgment of the distance and speed during the approach to land, which resulted in the overrun of the runway surface and subsequent collision with trees. A factor was tailwind.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

OverrunLanding - roll
Weather condition - tailwindFactor
Distance/speed - misjudgedPilot in commandCause
Wrong runway - selectedPilot in commandCause
On ground/water collision with objectLanding - roll
Object - tree(s)

Analysis

The pilot stated that he over flew the Boone Airport at a low altitude and observed that the windsock was stationary and that the runway surface was in good condition. The pilot stated that he flew a traffic pattern for runway 31. He stated that he slowed the airplane to 70 knots and fully extended the flaps. The pilot stated that he landed the airplane "close to the touchdown zone." He stated that he "applied brakes rapidly which loaded pressure to front strut torsion bar [which] responded by springing airplane back into air." The pilot stated that roll out was "successful, but damaged wingtip in underbrush at end of field" while completing a 90-degree turn at the end of the runway. No anomalies with the airplane were reported of the airplane. A witness in the area observed the airplane make three landing attempts prior the accident. He stated that on the accident landing, he observed the airplane "fishtailing" on the runway prior to departing the runway surface. He further stated that the airplane was landing downwind on runway 31. Post accident examination of the airplane revealed that the left wing spar and several outboard ribs on the left wing were damaged. The nearest weather reporting facility in Boone, North Carolina, 3 miles northwest of Boone Airport, reported the winds on September 4, 2004, at 1602, from 130 degrees at 5 knots. The Boone Airport has one runway, designated as 13/31, which is 2100 feet long and 40 feet wide. Runway 31 had a displaced threshold of 500 feet. At the edge of the runway surface of the departure end of runway 31, there is a run-up pad and a 50-foot grass area. Beyond the grass area are trees, 10-20 feet in height.

Factual narrative

On September 4, 2004, at 1600 eastern daylight time, N137Y, a Grumman-American AA1C Lynx, registered to and operated by a private pilot, collided with a tree following an overrun of runway 31 at Boone Airport, Boone, North Carolina. The personal cross-country flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed. The pilot and passenger were not injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight originated at Cobb-McCollum Field, Marietta, Georgia on September 4, 2004 at 1345.

According to the pilot, he practiced short field landings at Cobb-McCollum Field, Marietta, Georgia prior to departing that airport for Boone, North Carolina. He stated that approximately 1545, near the vicinity of Boone Airport, he made requests for airport advisories over the Unicom frequency. He stated that he over flew the Boone Airport at a low altitude and observed that the windsock was stationary and that the runway surface was in good condition. The pilot stated that he flew a traffic pattern for runway 31. He stated that he slowed the airplane to 70 knots and fully extended the flaps. The pilot stated that he landed the airplane "close to the touchdown zone." He stated that he "applied brakes rapidly which loaded pressure to front strut torsion bar [which] responded by springing airplane back into air." The pilot stated that roll out was "successful but damaged wingtip in underbrush at end of field" while completing a 90-degree turn at the end of the runway. No anomalies with the airplane were reported.

A witness in the area observed the airplane make three landing attempts prior the accident. He stated that on the accident landing, he observed the airplane "fishtailing" on the runway prior to departing the runway surface. He further stated that the airplane was landing downwind on runway 31.

Post accident examination of the airplane revealed that the left wing spar and several outboard ribs on the left wing were damaged.

The nearest weather reporting facility in Boone, North Carolina, 3 miles northwest of Boone Airport, reported the winds on September 4, 2004, at 1602, from 130 degrees at 5 knots. The Boone Airport has one runway, designated as 13/31, which is 2100 feet long and 40 feet wide. Runway 31 had a displaced threshold of 500 feet. At the edge of the runway surface of the departure end of runway 31, there is a run-up pad and a 50-foot grass area. Beyond the grass area are trees, 10-20 feet in height.

Aircraft

Registration
N137Y
Reported as
Grumman American AA1C
Category
Airplane
Serial number
AA1C0137
Engine
Lycoming O-235, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
John Zimmerlee
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Utility
Departed
KRYY · Marietta, GA
Destination
NC14 · Boone, NC
Airport
NC14 · Boone Airport, runway 31, 2,100 × 40 ft, asphalt

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
55
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Expired
Seat
Left
Flight hours
500 total · 400 in this make and model

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
130° at 5 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
70 °F, dew point 68 °F
Altimeter
30.25 inHg
Observed at
KTNB

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.