ERA16LA228

NTSB accident investigation · American AA1 · Knoxville, TN · June 23, 2016

Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
June 23, 2016, 08:30 local (12:30 UTC)
Place
Knoxville, TN
Injuries
1 serious
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N9341LAmerican AA1
Defining event
Landing: Loss of control on ground
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report March 18, 2019
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Eastern Region Aviation
Parties
FAA/FSDO
FAA report
20160623006529A
Case key
93439

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 directional control during the landing roll in a quartering headwind.

Findings · 4

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.

Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotAmerican AA-1A: 6 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause
Performance/control parameters: directional controlAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedAmerican AA-1A: 2 casesAll aircraft: 3,958 casesProbable cause
WindEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operationAmerican AA-1A: 1 caseAll aircraft: 110 casesProbable cause
Object/animal/substance: residence/buildingEnvironmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcomeAmerican AA-1A: 1 caseAll aircraft: 58 cases

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

The private pilot landed the airplane on a 2,100-ft-long, 150-ft-wide turf runway in a 15-knot right quartering headwind and lost control of the airplane after touchdown. The airplane departed the left side of the runway, proceeded in a straight line across a paved taxiway, struck a parked vehicle, and came to rest after impacting a hangar about 800 ft from the approach end of the runway. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation, nor did the pilot report any.

Factual narrative

On June 23, 2016, at 0830 eastern daylight time, an American Aviation AA-1A, N9341L, was substantially damaged when it impacted a parked vehicle and a hangar during landing at the Sky Ranch Airport (TN98), Knoxville, Tennessee. The private pilot was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight that departed TN98 about 0730. The flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the airplane landed on the left side of the centerline on runway 19, a 2,100-foot-long, 150-foot-wide, turf runway. A set of tire impressions in the turf extended from the left side of the runway in a relatively straight line, across a paved taxiway to the struck vehicle, and then continued to the airplane's final resting location at a hangar, with no indication of braking. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions The airplane came to rest with the nose section embedded in the north wall of a hangar that was located about 800 feet from the approach end of the runway, and 220 feet to the left of the runway centerline. The engine cowling and wing leading edges were crushed aft. The windscreen was fragmented and completely separated from the fuselage. The firewall was displaced and the instrument panel was buckled between the left control yoke and the panel center. The skin under the wings and along the empennage was wrinkled. The pilot reported that he has been flying locally for about 1 hour and he recalled slowing the airplane to about 65 miles per hour for landing, The pilot stated that after touchdown, he "lost control of the airplane." The pilot added that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. He reported a total flight experience of 585 hours; of which, 16 hours were in the same make and model as the accident airplane. All 16 hours were flown within the 90-day period preceding the accident. McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS), Knoxville, Tennessee, was located about 4 miles south of the accident site. The recorded wind at TYS, at 0853, was from 220° at 15 knots.

Aircraft

Registration
N9341L
Reported as
American AA1 (A)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
AA1A-0041
Built
1971
Airframe hours
3,306
Engine
Lycoming O-320, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · December 31, 2015 · 15 hours before
Departed
TN98 · Knoxville, TN
Destination
TN98 · Knoxville, TN
Airport
TN98 · Sky Ranch, runway 19, 2,100 × 150 ft, grass/turf
Equipment
Stall warning system, Handheld GPS

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
68
Injuries
Serious
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
Seat
Left
Restraint
3-point
Flight hours
585 total · 16 in this make and model · 585 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
220° at 15 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
25,000 ft broken
Temperature
82 °F, dew point 66 °F
Altimeter
30.09 inHg
Observed at
KTYS, 4 nm away

Docket · 4

The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 20, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.7 MB in all.

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.

Other investigations on N9341L · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.