# NTSB FTW03LA179: Grumman AA-5B, N81268, Spring, TX, June 14, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 14, 2003, 11:00 local (16:00 UTC) - Place: Spring, TX - Coordinates: 30.061666, -95.550003 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.0617&lon=-95.5500&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 30, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA Houston FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 57325 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW03LA179 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/57325/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW03LA179 ## Probable cause The failure of the pilot to maintain aircraft control due to wake turbulence. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Vortex turbulence encountered, landing - flare/touchdown - wake turbulence - Loss of control - in flight, landing - flare/touchdown - aircraft control - not possible (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, landing - flare/touchdown - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis While landing, the airplane encountered wake turbulence from a large helicopter that had previously landed. Prior to the pilot initiating a go-around, the left wing struck the runway. Subsequently, the pilot landed the airplane without further incident. ## Factual narrative On June 14, 2003, about 1100 central daylight time, a Grumman AA-5B single-engine airplane, N81268, was substantially damaged when it impacted the runway following a loss of control while landing at David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport (DWH), near Spring, Texas. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot. The flight instructor pilot and his pilot-rated student were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The flight originated from Houston-Southwest Airport (AXH) approximately 1030. The 3,260-hour flight instructor recalled hearing automatic terminal information service (ATIS), "Yankee," when he contacted DWH tower, about 9 miles south of the airport. When the airplane was approximately 2 miles from the airport, the tower controller cleared the airplane for landing to runway 17R, which is 7,009 feet long and 100 feet wide. After the airplane was down-wind, the tower controller said, "Grumman 81268, cleared to land, number two," at which time the pilot saw a helicopter in front of him. As the helicopter turned base for landing, the pilot recognized the helicopter as a military CH-47 Chinook. After the Chinook landed, the tower controller instructed the helicopter to air taxi to the helipads. On final, about 1 mile out, the pilot reported that the airplane was, "cleared to land, wind from 190 degrees, at 13 knots gusting to 18, caution, wake turbulence." The pilot stated that he told his pilot-rated student that they would be touching down about 1,000 feet south of the helicopter's touchdown point to avoid rotor-wash. Approximately 20 feet above the runway, the airplane encountered turbulence and the left wing "violently" dipped down; the left main landing gear struck the runway, and the airplane bounced. The pilot reported that he added full power and executed a go-around. A fly-by at tower altitude was made to determine visual damage by the tower controller, before an uneventful landing was performed by the pilot. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N81268](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N81268), registered now, S/N AA5B0480 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Grumman AA-5B - Registry model: [Grumman American Avn. AA-5B](https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-american-avn-aa-5b) (registry code 3960105) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 0480 - Airframe hours: 2230 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A4K 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 10, 2003, 5 hours before - Departed: AXH, Houston, TX - Destination: DWH, Spring, TX - Airport: DWH, David Wayne Hooks Memorial, runway 17R, 7,009 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 55; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review January 2, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 3,260 total, 550 in this make and model, 2,805 as pilot in command, 62 in the last 90 days, 28 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; age 71; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review January 2, 2002; seat: right ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 29.94 inHg - Observed at: DWH ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20030614013519A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030614013519A), Jun 14, 2003: Amrgen AA5B, Houston, TX, Substantial damage. (-23) On June 14, 2003 approximately 11:00 CDT, a gruman tiger AA-5B, received substantial damage when the left wing hit the ground during landing at David… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.