Grumman AA5B N4518B

Summary

On 25 August 1991 at about 00:05 local time, a Grumman AA5B registered N4518B, operated by Richard Laflamme, was involved in an accident near Hampton, New Hampshire, United States. 4 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 August 1991 at 00:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Hampton, New Hampshire, United States

Nearest airport

Hampton (7B3)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Grumman AA5B

Registration

N4518B

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Richard Laflamme

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Nashua

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

NYC91LA221

Nobody was injured.

THE PILOT ROTATED THE AIRPLANE PREMATURELY, RESULTING IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AT TOO LOW AN ALTITUDE TO ALLOW RECOVERY. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE, THE PILOT'S COMPLACENCY, FAILURE TO DETERMINE THE AIRPLANE'S PERFORMANCE CAPABILITIES PRIOR TO TAKE OFF.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT TOOK OFF FROM A 2100 FOOT GRASS RUNWAY. HE ROTATED THE AIRPLANE ABOUT 1/3 THE WAY DOWN THE RUNWAY AND THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF AND THEN SETTLED BACK ON THE RUNWAY AGAIN. THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF AGAIN AND THE PILOT FELT HE WOULD NOT CLEAR TREES DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF HIS FLIGHT PATH. THE PILOT TURNED THE AIRPLANE TO AVOID THE TREES AND STALLED WHILE AT A LOW ALTITUDE STRIKING THE TREES.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.