- Date
- December 31, 2008, 12:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Brunswick, GA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N7138LGrumman American Avn. AA-5
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 23, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- Case key
- 73169
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 failure to maintain control of the airplane during the landing flare. Contributing to the accident were the gusting winds.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
While landing, the pilot approached the runway in a "crab" and with the right wing down, into the wind. The pilot stated that a "strong gust" of wind pushed the right wing toward the ground as the main gear touched down in a nose-up attitude. The airplane became airborne; the pilot decided to initiate a go-around and applied full power. As the airplane gained altitude, another gust of wind rolled the airplane to the right. The pilot applied full ailerons and rudder authority to level the wings, then realized the airplane was headed towards trees that it would be unable to clear. The pilot then pulled the throttle to idle and flared the airplane into a stall as the airplane descended into the trees. The wind at the time of the accident was 40 degrees right of the airplane's nose at 12 knots, gusting to 20 knots.
Factual narrative
While landing, the pilot of a Grumman AA-5 approached the runway in a "crab" and with the right wing down, into the wind. The pilot stated that a "strong gust" of wind pushed the right wing toward the ground, as the main gear touched down in a nose-up attitude. The airplane became airborne; the pilot decided to initiate a go-around, and applied full power. As the airplane gained altitude, another gust of wind rolled the airplane to the right. The pilot utilized full ailerons and rudder authority to level the wings, then realized the airplane was headed towards trees that it would be unable to clear. The pilot pulled the throttle to idle and flared the airplane into a stall as the airplane descended into trees. The wind at the time of the accident was 40-degrees right of the airplane's nose at 12 knots, gusting to 20 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7138L
- Reported as
- Grumman American Avn. AA-5 (Traveler)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- AA5-0638
- Airframe hours
- 4,168.8
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2G, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 28, 2008
- Departed
- ILM · Wilmington, NC
- Destination
- BQK · Brunswick, GA
- Airport
- BQK · Brunswick Golden Isles Airport, runway 25, 8,001 × 150 ft, asphalt
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
- 54
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 148 total · 141 in this make and model · 87 as pilot in command · 22 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 12 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.96 inHg
- Observed at
- BQK