Grumman AA-5 N9265L

Summary

On 24 March 2002 at about 22:00 local time, a Grumman AA-5 registered N9265L was involved in an accident near Lamar, Colorado, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

24 March 2002 at 22:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Lamar, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Lamar Municipal (LAA)

Coordinates

38.0806, -102.6092

Aircraft

Grumman AA-5

Registration

N9265L

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Denver → Garden City

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW02LA101

2 people had minor injuries.

the pilot's delay in taking immediate remedial action after the flight encountered icing conditions, which resulted in a collision with terrain. A contributing factor to the accident was the icing condition.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot obtained a weather briefing for an IFR flight. The briefer informed the pilot of IFR conditions along the route of flight and an airmet for icing conditions in the northern 1/3 of the state of Colorado; however, the route of flight was not within the airmet's boundaries. The pilot then filed an IFR flight plan. The flight departed and climbed to a cruising altitude of 9,000 feet. The pilot stated that the airplane was in IMC when he observed that the airplane's groundspeed was less than he expected, and that the outside air temperature was slightly below freezing. He contacted air traffic control (ATC), requested a descent to 7,000 feet, and initiated a descent. Rime ice began to accumulate on the airplane's windshield, wings, and vertical stabilizer. The flight continued and was 25-30 miles past the nearest airport when the pilot advised ATC that the airplane could not maintain altitude due to icing. ATC recommended that the pilot reverse course and divert to the airport. The pilot then turned back toward the airport. The pilot stated that the airplane remained in a shallow descent; however, he was able to maintain 80 mph airspeed. The flight broke out of the cloud layer at 4,500 feet. The pilot's outside view was obstructed by the ice covered windshield, except for a 6-inch radius semi-circle that was cleared by the airplane's windshield defroster. The flight continued toward the airport; however, it encountered rising terrain, and subsequently, the airplane impacted the ground.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.