- Date
- October 26, 1992, 19:53 local (Oct 27, 1992, 00:53 UTC)
- Place
- Snow Hill, NC
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N8869LGrumman American AA-5
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report June 21, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19921026047029A
- Case key
- 8674
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 failure to use carburetor heat, which resulted in loss of engine power. Factors were the carburetor icing conditions, and the dark night lighting conditions.
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
About 15 minutes into a return flight, the pilot reported to ATC that his engine had failed, and he was attempting a forced landing on a rural road. Night, visual meteorological conditions prevailed. As the aircraft touched down, it collided with a pine tree, the left wing severed, and the aircraft nosed over. The aircraft came to rest inverted, a fire erupted, and the aircraft was destroyed. An inspection of the airframe and engine failed to reveal evidence of a mechanical malfunction or failure. According to carburetor icing charts, conditions were conducive for carburetor icing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8869L
- Reported as
- Grumman American AA-5
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- AA5-0657
- Airframe hours
- 3,151
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2G, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Operator
- Tar Heel Aviation, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Tar Heel Aviation, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 2, 1992 · 84 hours before
- Departed
- RWI · Rocky Mount, NC
- Destination
- OAJ · Jacksonville, NC
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
- 22
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 221 total · 149 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ISO, 13 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.