American AA-5 N65KS
24 July 2009 · Fort Pierce, Florida, United States · Minor injuries
Summary
On 24 July 2009 at about 17:48 local time, a American AA-5 registered N65KS, operated by Kenneth H. Smith, was involved in an accident near Fort Pierce, Florida, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 17:48
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Fort Pierce, Florida, United States
- Coordinates
- 27.4903, -80.3675
- Aircraft
- American AA-5
- Registration
- N65KS
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Kenneth H. Smith
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Fort Pierce → Fort Pierce
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ERA09LA420
People
1 person had minor injuries.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Probable cause
A loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result the failure of the engine fuel pump diaphragms during climb.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot stated that he was climbing to 2,500 feet mean sea level when he felt a vibration. The engine rpm dropped from 2,400 rpm to 1,800 rpm, and then the engine appeared to be "wind milling." He initiated a forced landing to an open field, and the airplane collided with a landscaping trailer, causing structural damage to the airplane. Examination of the airframe and flight controls revealed no anomalies. The engine assembly was transported to an authorized repair facility for an engine run. Temporary repairs were made to leads and the engine fuel pump was bypassed due to damage from the collision with the trailer. The engine started and the power was increased to 1500 rpm. The power was not increased any further due to a bent propeller flange. The engine was stabilized and shut down. The fuel pump was removed from the engine and disassembled. The aircraft component list revealed the last fuel pump was installed in 1973. No other information was available on the fuel pump due to an engine swap. Examination of the fuel pump diaphragms revealed they were very hard and holes were present in the diaphragms.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other American AA-5 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Dec 2012 | American AA-5 | Hot Springs, Virginia, United States | All Aviation West Coast Inc | No injuries | - |
| 12 Apr 1999 | American AA-5 | Stiefler Corner, Pennsylvania, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 8 Dec 1999 | American AA-5 | St. Elmo, Alabama, United States | James R. Sullens | Serious injuries | - |
| 2 Nov 2019 | American AA 5 | Gilbert, South Carolina, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 1 Aug 2020 | American AA 5 | Dunnellon, Florida, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 23 Aug 1996 | American AA-5 | Annapolis, Maryland, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Aug 2009 | Flight CTSW | Okeechobee, Florida, United States | Bowen Donald P Trustee | Minor injuries | - |
| 23 Aug 2009 | Vollenweider R/Hurst R F VANS RV-9A | Marianna, Florida, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 6 Jun 2009 | Piper J3C-65 | Alamana, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 1 Oct 2009 | Butler AEROSTAR | Brooksville, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 23 Apr 2009 | Piper PA-28R-200 | Hilliard, Florida, United States | Garrison Chadrick | No injuries | - |
| 24 Apr 2009 | Tecnam P2002 SIERRA | Lake Wales, Florida, United States | PLG Aviation Inc | Minor injuries | - |