- Date
- July 26, 1992, 09:15 local (16:15 UTC)
- Place
- Battleground, WA
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N26671Grumman American AA-5A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 14, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920726027449A
- Case key
- 42861
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot in command's delayed decision to execute a go around. Factors contributing the accident were: a tailwind, trees, and the improper use of the carburetor heat and flaps by the pilot in command.
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
After executing an approach to the east runway the pilot of the AA-5A perceived a 'significant tailwind' during his flare. With 1300 feet of the 2000 foot long runway remaining, and at 50 mph he elected to abort the landing and go around. The pilot reported applying 'full power, flaps up and carb heat off' and then stated that 'as the flaps retracted the last 15 to 20 degrees, the aircraft began to level off.' The aircraft impacted trees and then power lines beyond the departure end of the rwy during the attempted go around. An FAA examiner on site at the time of the accident reported an 8 to 10 knot tailwind and post crash examination of the aircraft by FAA personnel revealed the carb heat in the full out (on) position. Standard operating procedures for the AA-5A call for carb heat 'off' and flaps 'retract, after accelerating to safe airspeed' for balked landings.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N26671
- Reported as
- Grumman American AA-5A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- AA5A0635
- Airframe hours
- 1,860
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2G, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Van Bladeren, Ronald W.
- Registered owner
- Van Bladeren, Ronald W.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 2, 1992 · 58 hours before
- Departed
- 59S · Vancouver, WA
- Airport
- WA87 · Parkside, runway 9, 2,000 × 25 ft, asphalt
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
- 40
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,587 total · 99 in this make and model · 2,587 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PDX, 14 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.