- Date
- January 5, 1989, 15:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Richmond, IN
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N39000Grumman American AA-1C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890105000409A
- Case key
- 14230
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 attempt to continue the takeoff with a partial loss of power. Contributing to the accident were the carburetor icing 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
A partial loss of power was experienced at about lift-off. The pilot continued the takeoff and applied carburetor heat which worsened the power loss. A forced landing was made in a plowed field during which the airplane was substantially damaged. Examination of the engine revealed no mechanical failure or malfunction, nor contamination of the fuel. Meteorological conditions were favorable for carburetor icing. The temperature was 42 degrees f, and the dew point was 27 degrees f. the pilot did not obtain a weather briefing prior to the flight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N39000
- Reported as
- Grumman American AA-1C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- AA1C0175
- Airframe hours
- 1,942
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Thomas J. Wardwell
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 1, 1988 · 2 hours before
- Departed
- RID
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
- 71
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,230 total · 143 in this make and model · 1,230 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 43 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DAY, 30 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.