Grumman American AA1C N137Y

Summary

On 4 September 2004 at about 20:00 local time, a Grumman American AA1C registered N137Y was involved in an accident near Boone, North Carolina, 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

4 September 2004 at 20:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Boone, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Boone Airport (NC14)

Coordinates

36.1967, -81.6339

Aircraft

Grumman American AA1C

Registration

N137Y

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Marietta → Boone

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL04CA174

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's selection of the wrong runway, and his misjudgment of the distance and speed during the approach to land, which resulted in the overrun of the runway surface and subsequent collision with trees. A factor was tailwind.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that he over flew the Boone Airport at a low altitude and observed that the windsock was stationary and that the runway surface was in good condition. The pilot stated that he flew a traffic pattern for runway 31. He stated that he slowed the airplane to 70 knots and fully extended the flaps. The pilot stated that he landed the airplane "close to the touchdown zone." He stated that he "applied brakes rapidly which loaded pressure to front strut torsion bar [which] responded by springing airplane back into air." The pilot stated that roll out was "successful, but damaged wingtip in underbrush at end of field" while completing a 90-degree turn at the end of the runway. No anomalies with the airplane were reported of the airplane. A witness in the area observed the airplane make three landing attempts prior the accident. He stated that on the accident landing, he observed the airplane "fishtailing" on the runway prior to departing the runway surface. He further stated that the airplane was landing downwind on runway 31. Post accident examination of the airplane revealed that the left wing spar and several outboard ribs on the left wing were damaged. The nearest weather reporting facility in Boone, North Carolina, 3 miles northwest of Boone Airport, reported the winds on September 4, 2004, at 1602, from 130 degrees at 5 knots. The Boone Airport has one runway, designated as 13/31, which is 2100 feet long and 40 feet wide. Runway 31 had a displaced threshold of 500 feet. At the edge of the runway surface of the departure end of runway 31, there is a run-up pad and a 50-foot grass area. Beyond the grass area are trees, 10-20 feet in height.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.