- Date
- July 14, 1986, 07:15 local (11:15 UTC)
- Place
- Benton Harbor, MI
- Injuries
- 3 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N81259Grumman AA5B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860714032699A
- Case key
- 13260
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.
Loss of engine power(partial) - mech failure/malf
Engine assembly,push rod - bentFactor
Loss of control - in flight
Aircraft performance,turn capability - exceededCause
Airspeed - not maintainedCause
Lack of total experience in type of aircraftFactor
In flight collision with terrain/water
Stall - not correctedCause
Analysis
The aircraft departed on runway 09. Passenger remembers the pilot starting to turn back to the airport when the wings went perpendicular to the horizon and the ground came rushing up. Teardown of the engine revealed a bent push rod and a split push rod shroud assembly.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N81259
- Reported as
- Grumman AA5B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- AA5B0477
- Airframe hours
- 2,743
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4K, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Tail Dragger Flyers
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 13, 1986 · 56 hours before
- Departed
- BEH
- Destination
- C91 · Cass Co Mem Arp, MI
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 27
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 225 total · 26 in this make and model · 170 as pilot in command · 17 in the last 90 days · 14 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BEH
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.