Grumman AA-5B N4545T

Summary

On 5 August 2001 at about 17:15 local time, a Grumman AA-5B registered N4545T was involved in an accident near Beaver Island, Michigan, United States. 2 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

5 August 2001 at 17:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Beaver Island, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

Welke (6Y8)

Coordinates

45.6494, -85.5498

Aircraft

Grumman AA-5B

Registration

N4545T

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Harbor Springs → Beaver Island

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI01LA266

Nobody was injured.

The pilot misjudged the approach and landing, and his failure to abort the landing. Factors associated with the accident were the trees at the approach end of the runway and the sand/gravel pit that the airplane traveled into.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane traveled off the departure end of the runway and into a sand/gravel pit on landing. The landing was being made on runway 35 (3,500 feet by 140 feet, dry grass). A typed statement provided by the pilot with his NTSB form 6120.1/2 stated that because of trees at the end of the runway, the pilot made a higher than normal approach and sustained engine power until the trees were cleared. He reported the airplane touched down 500 feet beyond approach end of the runway. The pilot reported that during the landing roll he applied additional braking when he realized that the runway had a down slope. He reported, "While I am sure there was a moment that I could have aborted the landing, it passed due to my confidence that directional control and braking was sufficient to achieve this landing." The airplane continued off the departure end of the runway into a sand/gravel pit, which is 8 to 10 feet below the runway elevation. The right wing contacted a sand pile and the airplane rotated 20 degrees to the right prior to coming to rest. There are 60-foot tall trees located 10 feet from the approach end of runway 35. Runway 35 has a 1,350 foot displaced threshold.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.