# NTSB CEN25LA096: Grumman American Avn. AA-5A, N26071, Gladewater, TX, February 18, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report
- Date: February 17, 2025, 22:15 local (Feb 18, 2025, 04:15 UTC)
- Place: Gladewater, TX
- Coordinates: 32.529573, -94.972114 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.5296&lon=-94.9721&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor
- Status: Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA-FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 199710
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN25LA096
- NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/199710/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA096

## Preliminary report

On February 17, 2025, about 2215 central standard time, a Grumman AA-5A airplane, N26071, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Gladewater, Texas. The pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the pilot, the airplane engine lost partial power about 450 to 500 ft above ground level during the initial takeoff climb. The pilot immediately made a left turn back towards the airport and conducted a slow but controlled descent with the remining engine power. He chose to continue the turn and performed a forced landing to the grass next to the runway which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing and empennage. The pilot stated that he was ferrying the airplane to the Rusk County Airport (RFI) in Henderson, Texas, to have engine maintenance performed. The pilot further stated that the carburetor had been replaced about two weeks prior, and the airplane was experiencing a slight engine stumbling at full power and full mixture on subsequent flights. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the carburetor inlet rubber duct between the airbox and carburetor was puckered inward at both the airbox outlet and carburetor inlet. The puckering of the duct was observed to be partially blocking the carburetor venturi. Figure 1. View through the carburetor. The airplane was retained for further examination.

## Sequence of events

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

- [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [Grumman American Avn. AA-5A, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=3960106), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md)
- [Initial climb: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Grumman American Avn. AA-5A, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=3960106), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N26071](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N26071), registered now, S/N AA5A0413, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: GRUMMAN AMERICAN AVN. CORP. AA-5A
- Registry model: [Grumman American Avn. AA-5A](https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-american-avn-aa-5a) (registry code 3960106) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: AA5A0413
- Year built: 1977
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Destination: KRFI, Henderson, TX
- Airport: 07F, runway 14, 3,299 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Unknown

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 43 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observed at: KJXI, 10 nm away
- METAR: KJXI 180635Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 06/00 A3011 RMK AO2 T00621001

## 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 20250217013789A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250217013789A), Feb 17, 2025: Grumman American Avn. Corp. AA-5A, Gladewater, TX, Substantial damage. During takeoff from Gladewater airport runway 14/32, alt 450-480 ft. the PIC heard a loud bang, experience power loss and noted RPM drop. The PIC immediately…

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.