Grumman AA-5 N5423L

Summary

On 1 February 2009 at about 20:05 local time, a Grumman AA-5 registered N5423L, operated by Plane Options Inc., was involved in an accident near Payson, Arizona, 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

1 February 2009 at 20:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Payson, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Payson Airport (PAN)

Coordinates

34.2614, -111.3433

Aircraft

Grumman AA-5

Registration

N5423L

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Plane Options Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Chandler → Payson

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR09CA106

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadequate recovery from a bounced landing and failure to maintain directional control. Contributing to the accident was the crosswind condition.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The AWOS reported winds were from 101 degrees at 11 knots, but another airplane was landing on runway 24, so the pilot announced that he would follow that airplane for landing. His approach was high and fast and he applied full flaps early and reduced the engine power to idle. The pilot reported encountering gusty wind conditions during the approach, but felt that he had the landing under control. The airplane was nearing touchdown, about midfield, when it suddenly descended and landed hard on the runway and bounced back into the air. The pilot said that the airspeed was about 60 miles per hour (mph), with no stall warning horn heard. The airplane was aligned with the runway centerline, and he felt that the airplane was under control, so he applied a small amount of power to cushion the touchdown. The airplane touched down and then bounced back into the air again. The pilot said that the bounce was smaller and it appeared that the airplane was slower as well. The airplane finally settled onto the runway; however, the right main landing gear touched down with more force and the airplane veered to the left of the runway and into a drainage swale. He was worried that the airplane would run into buildings or other aircraft, and since the airspeed was at 55 mph, he decided to get the airplane back into the air. He proceeded with the go-around, and once the airplane accelerated to 80 mph, he retracted the flaps. At this point, the right wing struck the windsock pole and the airplane began to sink back to the gound. He placed the airplane in a nose high attitude in hopes of clearing the airport perimeter fence; however, the airplane struck the fence and cartwheeled before coming to rest upright.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.