GAA19CA384

NTSB accident investigation · American AA5 · Cheyenne, WY · July 2, 2019

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
July 1, 2019, 21:00 local (Jul 2, 2019, 03:00 UTC)
Place
Cheyenne, WY
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N387GAmerican AA5
Defining event
Landing: Hard landing
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Dusk
Status
Completed · report December 2, 2019
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
General Aviation Accidents
Parties
FAA
FAA report
20190701008769A
Case key
99764

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 a proper descent rate and landing flare during landing with a tailwind, which resulted in a hard landing and a subsequent loss of directional control, runway excursion, and collision with objects.

Findings · 5

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.

Performance/control parameters: landing flareAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedGrumman American Avn. AA-5A: 3 casesAll aircraft: 1,285 casesProbable cause
Performance/control parameters: directional controlAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedGrumman American Avn. AA-5A: 5 casesAll aircraft: 3,958 casesProbable cause
Performance/control parameters: descent rateAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedGrumman American Avn. AA-5A: 1 caseAll aircraft: 242 casesProbable cause
Wind: tailwindEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operationGrumman American Avn. AA-5A: 2 casesAll aircraft: 594 casesProbable cause

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 pilot reported that, while en route, she diverted due to deteriorating weather at the intended destination. She added that, during landing, a second pilot in the right seat reported a right quartering crosswind and that, during the "transition to the roundout," she observed 65 knots on the airspeed gauge, she heard the stall warning horn, and the airplane developed a high sink rate. She attempted to go around, but the airplane landed hard and veered left. The airplane became airborne again, and the pilot attempted to regain the runway centerline, but the fuselage and wing struck objects on the left side of the runway. She decided a go-around was not possible, so she reduced power and landed the airplane in grass left of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. An automated weather observation station located about 3 miles west of the airport reported that, about 2 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 020° at 8 knots and that, about 32 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 020° at 9 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 27.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that, while en route, she diverted due to deteriorating weather at the intended destination. She added that, during landing, a second pilot in the right seat reported a right quartering crosswind. During the "transition to the roundout," she observed 65 knots on the airspeed gauge, she heard the stall warning horn, and the airplane developed a high sink rate. She attempted to go around, but the airplane landed hard and veered to the left. The airplane became airborne again, the pilot attempted to regain runway centerline, but the fuselage and wing struck objects on the left side of the runway. She decided a go around was not possible, so she reduced power and landed the airplane in the grass to the left of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation station, located about 3 miles west of the airport, reported that, about 2 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 020° at 8 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, broken clouds at 7,500 ft, temperature 15°C, dew point 12°C, altimeter 30.24" Hg. The same automated station reported that, about 32 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 020° at 9 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, broken clouds at 2,100 ft, temperature 14°C, dew point 11°C, altimeter 30.25" Hg, remarks stated lightning distant northeast-east with clouds broken variable few. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 27.

Aircraft

Registration
N387G
Reported as
American AA5 (A)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
AA5A0387
Built
1977
Airframe hours
4,245.6
Engine
Lycoming O-320-E2G, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Western Air Flight Academy
Registered owner
Thunderfighter Llc
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
Last inspection
100 hour · April 9, 2018
Departed
CPR · Casper, WY
Destination
BJC · Denver, CO
Airport
CYS · Cheyenne Rgnl/Jerry Olson Fiel, runway 27, 9,270 × 150 ft, concrete
Equipment
ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Stall warning system

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 · 2

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
43
Injuries
None
Certificates
Commercial, Private, Military
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane, Helicopter
Medical
Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
Last flight review
May 3, 2019
Seat
Left
Flight hours
965.9 total · 56.9 in this make and model · 486.5 as pilot in command · 59.5 in the last 90 days · 50.2 in the last 30 days · 1.6 in the last 24 hours
Role
Pilot
Age
38
Injuries
None
Certificates
Private, Military, Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Helicopter, Airplane
Medical
Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
Seat
Right
Flight hours
1,637 total · 130 in this make and model · 1,010 as pilot in command · 195 in the last 90 days · 121 in the last 30 days · 10 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Dusk
Wind
20° at 8 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
7,500 ft broken
Temperature
59 °F, dew point 54 °F
Altimeter
30.23 inHg
Observed at
KFEW, 3 nm away

Docket · 3

The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 5, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.8 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.