- Date
- December 25, 1991, 14:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Monte Vista, CO
- Injuries
- 3 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N9991UGrumman American AA-5A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 23, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19911225057239A
- Case key
- 18143
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
An inadvertent stall by the pilot in command at an altitude insufficient to effect recovery. Factors were: aircraft gross weight above maximum; physical impairment of the pilot; lack of total experience; lack of recent experience; and lack of experience in type.
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
While on a post takeoff crosswind climb, the pilot inadvertently stalled the aircraft at a low altitude. The aircraft impacted vertically in a frozen open field. Investigation revealed the aircraft to be 90 pounds over maximum gross weight; the pilot to be suffering from physical impairment due to carbon monoxide poisoning; the pilot to be low in total experience, experience in type; and recent experience. Toxicology tests revealed 16% carboxyhemoglobin in the pilot's blood. Passenger test results were negative. That saturation level can cause degradation in judgment and performance. The pilot was a mechanic and had been exposed to running engines in a non-ventilated shop the day/evening prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9991U
- Reported as
- Grumman American AA-5A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- AA5A0391
- Airframe hours
- 3,702
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2G, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Fred Schrotenboer, doing business as San Luis Valley Aviation
- Registered owner
- Fred Schrotenboer
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · November 7, 1991 · 39 hours before
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
- 37
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 83 total · 2 in this make and model · 49 as pilot in command · 2 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 60 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 10 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.