- Date
- November 22, 2011, 13:50 local (19:50 UTC)
- Place
- Bulverde, TX
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N26067Grumman American AA-5A
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 6, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20111122027909A
- Case key
- 82405
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 improper glidepath while on final approach.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot said that he was on a short final approach to land. The airspeed was between 70 and 75 knots indicated, and one-third flaps were extended. When he felt he was in a position to land, he retarded the throttle to idle. The airplane settled rapidly, and the pilot reapplied power. The airplane struck trees in a ravine 300 feet short of the runway. Both wings and the fuselage were buckled. The pilot said that if he had come in higher and faster, the accident most likely would not have occurred.
Factual narrative
The pilot said he was on a short final approach to runway 34. The airspeed was between 70 and 75 knots indicated and one-third flaps were extended. When he felt he was in a position to land, he retarded the throttle to idle. The airplane settled rapidly and he reapplied power. The airplane struck trees in a ravine 300 feet short of the runway. Both wings and the fuselage were buckled. The pilot said if he had come in higher and faster, the accident most likely would not have occurred.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N26067
- Reported as
- Grumman American AA-5A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- AA5A0410
- Airframe hours
- 3,914
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2G, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Ronald W. Kirkwood
- Registered owner
- Ronald W. Kirkwood
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 20, 2011 · 26 hours before
- Departed
- KT41 · La Porte, TX
- Destination
- K1T8 · Bulverde, TX
- Airport
- K1T8 · Bulverde Airpark, runway 34, 2,890 × 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
- 52
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 2, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 555 total · 410 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 13 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.02 inHg
- Observed at
- KSAT
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 21, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 539 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.