# NTSB FTW82FQA17: Grum Amer AA-5B, N81350, Truchas, NM, December 31, 1981

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: December 31, 1981
- Place: Truchas, NM · TRUCHAS, NM
- Location: 36.0367° N, 105.8125° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Truchas, NM, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.0367&lon=-105.8125&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 4 fatal
- Status: Completed, report August 24, 1982
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 122752
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW82FQA17
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW82FQA17

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-3676  81/12/31 NR.TRUCHAS,NM         GRUM AMER AA-5B     CR-  1  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             COMMERCIAL, FL.INSTR.,
        TIME - UNK/NR                  N81350              PX-  3  0  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  AGE 28, 450 TOTAL HOURS,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            UNK/NR IN TYPE,
                                                                                                   INSTRUMENT RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          SANTA FE,NM                 TAOS,NM
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLIDED WITH: TREES                                     IN FLIGHT: NORMAL CRUISE
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - LOW CEILING
           WEATHER - SNOW
           WEATHER - TURBULENCE IN FLIGHT,CLEAR AIR
           WEATHER - HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE
        WEATHER BRIEFING - NO RECORD OF BRIEFING RECEIVED
        WEATHER FORECAST - FORECAST SUBSTANTIALLY CORRECT
        MISSING AIRCRAFT - LATER RECOVERED
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          OVERCAST                                                 UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED                                     SNOW SHOWERS
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TEMPERATURE-F
          UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED                                      43
        WIND DIRECTION-DEGREES                                   WIND VELOCITY-KNOTS
          200                                                       4
        TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS                               TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED                                     NONE
         FIRE AFTER IMPACT
        REMARKS- HIT TREES IN MTN TRRN,APRX 8600FT MSL,DARK NGT.AREA FCST,MTN TOPS OBSCD.FOUND ON 4/23/82.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N81350](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N81350-1983-09-07), registration cancelled 1983-09-07, S/N AA5B0504 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: GRUM AMER AA-5B
- Registry model: [Grumman American Avn. AA-5B](https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-american-avn-aa-5b) (registry code 3960105) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed

## 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 19811231087459A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19811231087459A), Dec 31, 1981: Gulstm AA5B, Truchas, NM, Destroyed, 3 fatal. Wreckage and weather reports indicated aircraft hit trees on a cloud obscured mountainside at cruise speed.

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.

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