# NTSB NYC93LA164: Grumman American AA-5B, N1547R, Westerly, RI, August 20, 1993 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 20, 1993, 11:15 local (15:15 UTC) - Place: Westerly, RI - Location: 41.3733° N, 71.8068° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Westerly, RI, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.3733&lon=-71.8068&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 3 serious - Status: Completed, report September 13, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 38639 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC93LA164 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38639/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC93LA164 ## Probable cause The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, and the subsequent forced landing and collision with soft terrain. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, climb - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - soft (cause) ## Analysis THE PILOT STATED THAT PRIOR TO TAKEOFF 'EVERYTHING APPEARED NORMAL. AT ABOUT 200 FEET, THE RPM DROPPED TO 1000-1200. HE TRIED TO SWITCH FUEL TANKS, BUT THAT DID NOT HELP. HE INITIATED A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD AND THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED SOFT TERRAIN DURING THE LANDING ROLL. A POST-IMPACT FIRE DESTROYED THE AIRPLANE. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANCIAL MALFUNCTION; HOWEVER, THE ENGINE WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED FROM FIRE. ## Factual narrative On Friday, August 20, 1993, at 1115 eastern daylight time, a Grumman American AA-5B, N1547R, registered to Mark, Inc., and piloted by Ronald L. Donley, was destroyed during a forced landing in Westerly, Rhode Island. The pilot and two passengers were seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight was being conducted under 14 CFR 91. In a written report, the pilot stated: Prior to departure a thorough engine run-up and system check was done. Everything appeared normal. Takeoff roll and climb were normal. at approximately 500' AGL, I began a left turn ...RPM suddenly dropped to 1000-1200. A quick check of engine controls showed everything normal. Switching fuel tanks did not help. I selected a small field...I landed in this field...could not stop...came to a stop on a paved road... Mr. Bruce H. Bosquet, one of the passengers, stated: We took off on runway 25 and we were a couple of hundred feet in the air when Ron [PIC] said "We have a problem with the engine..." We hit the edge of the field...the plane caught fire. Mr. Don Micknak, Aviation Safety Inspector (Airworthiness) for the Federal Aviation Administration, conducted an examination of the wreckage and interviewed witnesses. In his report, Mr. Micknak stated: Based on interviews with several witnesses, the AA-5B engine sounded rough during takeoff and at an altitude of about two to three hundred feet, the aircraft turned left, lost altitude...The airplane hit soft ground...and came to rest...[on a] road. The engine caught fire and engulfed the entire aircraft...The aircraft was destroyed by fire. The engine was intact but severely distorted due to the intensity of the fire...Continuity between the prop and the accessory case was confirmed and the engine cylinders showed compression. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1547R](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1547R-1994-03-29), registration cancelled 1994-03-29, S/N AA5B0047 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: GRUMMAN AMERICAN AA-5B - Registry model: [Grumman American Avn. AA-5B](https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-american-avn-aa-5b) (registry code 3960105) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: AA5B-0047 - Engines: LYCOMING O-360-A4K 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Mark, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 15, 1992 - Destination: EWB, NEW BEDFORD, MA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 54; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: right; flight hours: 4,000 total, 150 in this make and model, 110 in the last 90 days, 38 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 15 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg ## 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 19930820030049A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930820030049A), Aug 20, 1993: Gulstm AA5B, Westerly, RI, Destroyed. Reported partial power loss on takeoff. Banked to land in small field. Aircraft caught fire during forced landing. 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.