- Date
- September 24, 1984, 18:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Luka, MS
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N74107Grumman AA5-B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 6548
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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.
Analysis
During normal cruise flight the number one cylinder exhaust valve head separated from the valve stem causing a significant power loss. The pilot set up a landing approach to a farm field. On final approach the pilot noticed that rough and rising terrain existed in the field. During a slight right turn at 10 ft above the ground the wing caughtin some weeds and the acft ground looped. The reason for the exaust valve head separation could not be determined.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N74107
- Reported as
- Grumman AA5-B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- AA5B-0143
- Airframe hours
- 703
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4K, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Marvin F. Smith, Jr.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 21, 1984 · 72 hours before
- Departed
- M73 · Almyra, AK
- Destination
- GAD · Gasden, AL
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 25
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 183 total · 83 in this make and model · 170 as pilot in command · 51 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 12,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TUP, 42 nm away