MIA01LA122

NTSB accident investigation · Grumman American AA-5B · Dade City, FL · April 14, 2001

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
April 14, 2001, 18:30 local (22:30 UTC)
Place
Dade City, FL
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N81189Grumman American AA-5B
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report September 30, 2003
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
FAA FSDO
FAA report
20010414011139A
Case key
52078

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

the pilot's inadequate recovery from a bounced landing, and loss of directional control which resulted in an in-flight collision with a fence during the go-around, resulting in a subsequent forced landing in a pasture.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Loss of control - in flightLanding - flare/touchdown
Weather condition - crosswind
Airspeed - excessivePilot in command
Recovery from bounced landing - inadequatePilot in commandCause
Directional control - not maintainedPilot in command
Go-around - initiatedPilot in command
In flight collision with objectGo-around (vfr)
Object - fence
In flight collision with terrain/waterEmergency landing
Terrain condition - open field

Analysis

The pilot stated that he was on final to land on runway 26, and during the landing the airplane bounced and went to the left. He said he attempted to execute a go-around but the aircraft went through a plastic fence which lined the runway and ceased climbing, so he set it down in a pasture. The pilot said that the wings and horizontal stabilizers were damaged as a result of the accident, and prior to the accident, there had been no mechanical failure or malfunction to the aircraft or any of its systems.

Factual narrative

On April 14, 2001, about 1830 eastern daylight time, a Grumman American AA-5B, N81189, registered to, and operated by a private owner, as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight , collided with a fence during landing, at a private field in Dade City, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The private-rated pilot and one passenger were not injured, and the airplane incurred substantial damage. The flight originated in St. Petersburg, Florida, the same day, about 1800.

The pilot stated that he was on final to land on runway 26, and the wind was about 310 degrees, at a velocity of 6 knots. The pilot further stated that the touchdown may have been a little fast, and the aircraft bounced once and went to the left. He said that he then attempted to execute a go-around, and the aircraft went through a plastic fence which lined the runway. According to the pilot, he continued the climb, thinking that he could make it back around for another landing, but the aircraft ceased climbing, and he had to set it down in a pasture. He said that the aircraft incurred damage to the wings and horizontal stabilizers, and prior to the accident, there had been no mechanical failure or malfunction to the aircraft, or any of its systems.

Aircraft

Registration
N81189
Reported as
Grumman American AA-5B
Category
Airplane
Serial number
AA5B0453
Airframe hours
2,803
Engine
Lycoming O-360-A4K, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Dudley Cullum
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · March 6, 2001 · 22 hours before
Departed
PIE · St. Petersburg, FL
Destination
Dade City, FL
Airport
Field Of Dreams, runway 26, 2,500 × 75 ft, grass/turf

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
41
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Left
Flight hours
130 total · 23 in this make and model · 63 as pilot in command · 35 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
270° at 7 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
77 °F, dew point 70 °F
Altimeter
30.03 inHg
Observed at
BKV, 21 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.

Other investigations on N81189 · 1

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