American General AA-1 N5932L

Summary

On 29 June 1993 at about 19:25 local time, a American General AA-1 registered N5932L was involved in an accident near Vestal, New York, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 June 1993 at 19:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Vestal, New York, United States

Coordinates

42.0807, -76.0506

Aircraft

American General AA-1

Registration

N5932L

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Endicott → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC93FA133

2 people died.

THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL STARVATION FROM A FUEL LEAK CAUSED BY INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE BY UNQUALIFIED PERSONNEL, THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AND COLLISION WITH THE GROUND.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT PILOT DEPARTED ON A LOCAL TRAINING FLIGHT. TEN MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE, THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED IN A DESCENDING SPIRAL, WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING, OVER AN AREA WHERE FORCED LANDINGS WERE PRACTICED. A WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE LEVELING OFF AS IT WENT BEHIND A HILL TOP, THEN HEARD THE AIRPLANE IMPACT THE GROUND. ANOTHER WITNESS HEARD THE ENGINE BACKFIRING, FOLLOWED BY THE SOUND OF IMPACT. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE STUDENT PILOT/OWNER OF THE AIRPLANE WAS PERFORMING HIS OWN MAINTENANCE. THIS INCLUDED CHANGING ENGINE PISTONS AND RINGS. NUMEROUS FUEL STAINS WERE OBSERVED OVER SEVERAL COMPONENTS OF THE ENGINE. THE CARBURETOR MIXTURE SCREW WAS SET TO THE MAXIMUM LEAN CONDITION. DUCT TAPE AND ELECTRICAL TAPE HAD BEEN USED EXTENSIVELY FOR REPAIRS ON THE AIR INDUCTION SYSTEM.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.