- Date
- November 26, 2010, 15:15 local (23:15 UTC)
- Place
- Coalinga, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N74400Grumman American Avn. AA-5B
- Defining event
- Takeoff-rejected takeoff: Runway excursion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 12, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20101126053359A
- Case key
- 77889
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's failure to remove the gust lock prior to takeoff.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
According to the pilot, she did not perform a flight control check prior to takeoff. During the departure roll, when the airplane reached 70 miles per hour, she realized that the gust lock was still installed in the control column. She attempted to remove the device, but was unsuccessful. She reduced the engine power in an attempt to stop the airplane, but it continued off the end of the runway; the nose gear separated, and it came to rest in a dirt field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall and right wing.
Factual narrative
The pilot submitted a written statement. She said she did not conduct a control check prior to takeoff. During the departure roll when the airplane reached 70 miles per hour, she realized the gust lock was still installed. She attempted to remove it unsuccessfully and then reduced the throttle attempting to stop the airplane. The airplane went off the end of the runway, the nose gear separated, and it came to rest in a dirt field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall and right wing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N74400
- Reported as
- Grumman American Avn. AA-5B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- AA5B-0213
- Airframe hours
- 2,370
- Engine
- Textron Lycoming O-360-A4K, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Anna Longwell
- Registered owner
- Anna Longwell
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 15, 2010 · 16 hours before
- Departed
- 3O8 · Coalinga, CA
- Destination
- PAO · Palo Alto, CA
- Airport
- 3O8 · Harris Ranch, runway 14, 2,820 × 30 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
- 75
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 28, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,282 total · 400 in this make and model · 921 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.15 inHg
- Observed at
- NLC, 15 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 20, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.0 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.