# NTSB CEN22LA220: Grumman American Avn. AA-1B, N6298L, River Falls, WI, June 1, 2022

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report
- Date: June 1, 2022, 12:15 local (17:15 UTC)
- Place: River Falls, WI
- Coordinates: 44.839775, -92.75065
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.8398&lon=-92.7506&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern base: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 105171
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN22LA220
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/105171/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105171
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA220

## Probable cause

The student pilot’s and flight instructor’s inadequate preflight fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Grumman American Avn. AA-1B, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=3960103), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md)
- [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Grumman American Avn. AA-1B, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=3960103), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md)
- [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Grumman American Avn. AA-1B, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=3960103), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Approach-VFR pattern base: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Grumman American Avn. AA-1B, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=3960103), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md)
- [Approach-VFR pattern base: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [Grumman American Avn. AA-1B, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=3960103), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The flight instructor and student pilot reported problems with the airplane’s engine shortly after takeoff. The flight instructor stated that the engine “quit abruptly” and “seized,” and the student pilot stated that the engine “locked up” and lost total power. The flight instructor assumed control of the airplane and made a forced landing in a field, which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane’s left wing. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no fuel remaining in the wing tanks and no evidence of a fuel spill. The fuel system was not compromised. According to the accident report submitted by the flight instructor they departed with 8 gallons of fuel and were flying for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Postaccident examination revealed that the engine rotated freely, and compression was verified on all cylinders. Both magnetos produced spark when rotated. Thus, the engine likely lost power due to fuel exhaustion.

## Factual narrative

On June 1, 2022, about 1215 central daylight time, a Grumman AA-1B airplane, N6298L, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near St. Croix Riviera Airport (6WI2), River Falls, Wisconsin. The student pilot sustained minor injuries, and the flight instructor sustained serious injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The flight instructor reported that, during the accident flight, he and the student pilot performed two takeoffs and landings and that, on the third takeoff, the engine “quit abruptly” at an altitude of about 150 ft. The flight instructor stated that the engine appeared to have “seized instantly.” The student pilot reported that, during the initial climb after takeoff and when the airplane was about 150 to 200 ft above ground level, the engine “locked up” and lost total power. At that time, the flight instructor assumed control of the airplane and made a forced landing to a vacant field south of the airport, which was straight ahead of the departure runway. The airplane came to rest upright in the field, which resulted in substantial damage to the left outboard wing panel. Examination of the airplane at the accident scene found no fuel in the wing fuel tanks. A subsequent examination revealed that the fuel tanks were not breached and that the other fuel system components had no discrepancies. According to the accident report submitted by the flight instructor they departed with 8 gallons of fuel and were flying for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. The engine rotated freely, and compression was verified on all cylinders. Both magnetos produced spark when rotated.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N6298L](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6298L-2024-01-20), registration cancelled 2024-01-20, S/N AA1B0098 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: GRUMMAN AMERICAN AVN. CORP. AA-1B
- Registry model: [Grumman American Avn. AA-1B](https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-american-avn-aa-1b) (registry code 3960103) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: AA1B0098
- Year built: 1972
- Airframe hours: 2986
- Engines: Lycoming O-320 150 hp reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Registered owner: Jft LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, November 19, 2021
- Departed: 6WI2, River Falls, WI
- Airport: 6WI2, St Croix Riviera, runway 13, 1,700 × 100 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment: Stall warning system, ADS-B

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Flight instructor; age 60; injuries: serious; airline transport, flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: right; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 14,500 total, 10 in this make and model
- Student pilot; age 39; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 38 total, 38 in this make and model, 5 as pilot in command, 29 in the last 90 days, 15 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: variable at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observed at: KSTP, 14 nm away
- METAR: SPECI KSTP 011203Z 00000KT 10SM BKN025 12/09 A3009 RMK AO2 T01220094=

METAR KSTP 011653Z VRB04KT 10SM SCT050 19/07 A3006 RMK AO2 SLP177 T01890072=

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20220601009939A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220601009939A), Jun 1, 2022: Grumman American Avn. Corp. AA-1B, River Falls, WI, Substantial damage. 06/01/2022 [privacy data omitted] engine quit on takeoff at st. Croix Riviera airport (6WI2). Solo student pilot departed south st paul municipal airport (sgs)…

## Other investigations on N6298L (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 MKC77FER63](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MKC77FER63), Jul 21, 1977: Grumman AA-1B (N6298L), Lakeville, MN, substantial damage

## Docket (5 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 8, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105171. 40.3 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (student) (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 3.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15771128&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120.1,%20River%20Falls,%20WI,%20Grumman%20AA-1B%20N6298L_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Information from flight instructor (item 2, PDF, 14 pages, 3.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15770395&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CFI%20Statement%20and%20info_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Roc with FAA inspector (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 67 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15770989&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ROC%20with%20FAA-Rel.pdf
- Photograph of accident (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 1.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15773113&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Docket%20Photo%20array%20template-Rel.pdf
- Maintenance records (item 5, PDF, 21 pages, 31.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15774161&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Maintenance%20records_Redacted-Rel.pdf

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.

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