# NTSB NYC08CA154: American AA-1A, N7UX, Alabaster, AL, April 6, 2008 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: April 6, 2008, 14:10 local (19:10 UTC) - Place: Alabaster, AL - Coordinates: 33.176944, -86.782775 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.1769&lon=-86.7828&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed, report May 28, 2008 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 67758 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC08CA154 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/67758/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC08CA154 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to utilize carburetor heat during a power off approach. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Temp/humidity/pressure: conducive to carburetor icing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Not specified; cases with it: [American AA-1A, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030/cases.md?model=0630710), [All aircraft, 435 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030/cases.md) - [Action: lack of action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [American AA-1A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md?model=0630710), [All aircraft, 792 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md) - [Fuel system: fuel temperature](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022843): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Not used/operated; cases with it: [American AA-1A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022843/cases.md?model=0630710), [All aircraft, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022843/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [American AA-1A, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=0630710), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [American AA-1A, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=0630710), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis Prior to the accident, the flight instructor and student practiced "turns around a point," and "S-turns across a road" before returning to the airport to practice landings. They then completed three "touch and goes," in the American Aviation AA-1A without incident. During the downwind leg of the traffic pattern for the fourth "touch and go," the flight instructor demonstrated an "engine out procedure" by bringing the throttle to idle when the airplane was approximately midfield. He did not however, use carburetor heat and kept the throttle at idle all of the way to touchdown. After touchdown, he applied power, then rotated, and the engine "quit." There was not "enough runway left to stop," and the airplane overran the runway. The airplane struck a ditch, the nose gear collapsed and the airplane nosed over, damaging the vertical stabilizer and canopy. The airplane had been filled with automobile gasoline prior to the flight. Both the student and flight instructor stated that there had not been any mechanical problems with the airplane and a post accident examination of the engine revealed no preimpact malfunctions. A review of a carburetor-icing chart revealed that atmospheric conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to "serious icing at glide power." ## Factual narrative Prior to the accident, the flight instructor and student practiced "turns around a point," and "S-turns across a road" before returning to the airport to practice landings. They then completed three "touch and goes," in the American Aviation AA-1A without incident. During the downwind leg of the traffic pattern for the fourth "touch and go," the flight instructor demonstrated an "engine out procedure" by bringing the throttle to idle when the airplane was approximately midfield. He did not however, use carburetor heat and kept the throttle at idle all of the way to touchdown. After touchdown, he applied power, then rotated, and the engine "quit." There was not "enough runway left to stop," and the airplane overran the runway. The airplane struck a ditch, the nose gear collapsed and the airplane nosed over, damaging the vertical stabilizer and canopy. The airplane had been filled with automobile gasoline prior to the flight. Both the student and flight instructor stated that there had not been any mechanical problems with the airplane and a post accident examination of the engine revealed no preimpact malfunctions. A review of a carburetor-icing chart revealed that atmospheric conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to "serious icing at glide power." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7UX](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7UX-2015-05-15), registration cancelled 2015-05-15, S/N AA1A-0164, built 1971 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: American Aviation Corp. (AAC) AA-1A - Registry model: [American AA-1A](https://openairdocs.org/model/american-aa-1a) (registry code 0630710) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: AA1A-0164 - Airframe hours: 2667.8 - Engines: Lycoming O-235-C2C 115 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, January 1, 2008 - Departed: EET, Alabaster, AL - Destination: EET - Airport: EET, Shelby County Airport, runway 15, 5,000 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 50; injuries: minor; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review April 1, 2006; seat: right; flight hours: 1,821 total, 7 in this make and model, 1,657 as pilot in command, 62 in the last 90 days, 17 in the last 30 days - Student pilot; age 47; injuries: minor; student; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 6 total, 6 in this make and model, 6 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 10° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 55 °F - Altimeter: 29.95 inHg - Observed at: EET ## 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 20080406837049A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080406837049A), Apr 6, 2008: Amrgen AA1A, Alabaster, AL, Substantial damage. (-23) CFI and student pilot conducting a training flight at Shelby County Airport, AL (eet) completed three touch and goes. Flew for approximately 1.5 hours on… 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.