# NTSB LAX07CA248: Grumman American AA5A, N27166, Elk River, ID, August 3, 2007

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: August 3, 2007, 08:05 local (15:05 UTC)
- Place: Elk River, ID
- Coordinates: 46.800277, -116.166664
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.8003&lon=-116.1667&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report October 31, 2007
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 66446
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX07CA248
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/66446/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX07CA248

## Probable cause

The pilot's misjudged landing flare, inadequate bounced landing recovery, and failure to maintain directional control during landing.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - on ground/water, landing
  - proper touchdown point - not attained, pilot in command
  - flare - misjudged, pilot in command (cause)
  - recovery from bounced landing - inadequate, pilot in command (cause)
  - porpoise/pilot-induced oscillation - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause)
  - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - ground loop/swerve - not corrected, pilot in command (cause)
- On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll
  - object - building(nonresidential)

## Analysis

The pilot landed long on the unimproved runway, porpoised, and veered into a building.  The pilot said the airplane bounced on landing and veered to the right.   The pilot reduced power to idle, and pulled the controls slightly back to hold the nose wheel out of the runway ruts.  The airplane encountered a 3-foot deep ditch which angled it towards a power pole.  The pilot applied left rudder and brake, diverting the airplane slightly to the left and into the rear quarter of a metal building at the end of the runway.  The pilot reported that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.

## Factual narrative

The pilot stated in the Pilot/Operator Accident Report that she was landing on runway 17 at Elk River Airport, Elk River, Idaho.  She landed long on the unimproved runway, and porpoised.  The airplane bounced and veered to the right.  The pilot reduced power to idle, and pulled the controls slightly back to hold the nose wheel out of the runway ruts.  The airplane encountered a 3-foot-deep ditch, which angled it towards a power pole.  The pilot applied left rudder and brake, diverting the airplane slightly to the left and into the rear quarter of a metal building at the end of the runway.  The pilot reported that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N27166](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N27166-2012-08-27), registration cancelled 2012-08-27, S/N AA5A0889 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Grumman American AA5A
- Registry model: [Grumman American Avn. AA-5A](https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-american-avn-aa-5a) (registry code 3960106) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: AA5A0889
- Airframe hours: 4053.8
- Engines: Lycoming O-320-E2G 160 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Carol J. Wharton
- Registered owner: Three Rivers Flying Club
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, May 1, 2007
- Departed: KRLD, Richland, WA
- Destination: ID85, Elk River, ID
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: ID85, Elk River Airport, runway 17, 3,000 × 150 ft, grass/turf

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 51; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3; flight hours: 366 total, 343 in this make and model, 13 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 250° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observed at: KPUW, 39 nm away

## 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 20070803014749A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070803014749A), Aug 3, 2007: Amrgen AA5A, Elk River, ID, Substantial damage. (-23) On August 3, 2007 the pilot [privacy data omitted], a private pilot was acting as pilot in command of N27166, a Grumman tiger aircraft. Upon landing at…

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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