- Date
- November 13, 1983, 16:20 local (21:20 UTC)
- Place
- Fitchburg, MA
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 3 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N26445Grumman AA-5A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19831113057069A
- Case key
- 35466
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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.
Analysis
The aircraft's engine lost power on takeoff and the pilot elected to make an emergency landing in a residental area. The pilot maneuvered the aircraft between two homes and crashed into a tree. The aircraft rolled to the left and fell tothe ground. Examination of the engine did not disclose any malfunctions; however, the swage for the conduit in the vernier throttle control did not hold the conduit in place. The throttle had been installed in the aircraft approx 12 hours prior to the accident. The control was not approved for installation by the FAA.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N26445
- Reported as
- Grumman AA-5A
- Category
- Airplane
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2G, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Minuteman Airways
- Departed
- 6B6 · Stow, MA
- Flight plan
- Military VFR
- Airport
- Fitchburg, runway 32, 4,500 × 150 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 36
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Unknown, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 93 total · 92 in this make and model · 47 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 39 °F, dew point 12 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ORH
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.