Grumman American Avn AA 5A N9684U

Summary

On 10 August 2015 at about 01:50 local time, a Grumman American Avn AA 5A registered N9684U was involved in an accident near Harrisburg, Illinois, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

10 August 2015 at 01:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Harrisburg, Illinois, United States

Coordinates

37.5656, -88.6433

Aircraft

Grumman American Avn AA 5A

Registration

N9684U

Category

Airplane

Year built

1975

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Marion → Marion

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

CEN15FA347

2 people died.

The student pilot's improper decision to conduct a flight in dark, night conditions and his subsequent controlled flight into terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The student pilot departed for a cross-country personal flight with one passenger on a moonless night. Meteorological and astrological conditions on the night of the accident included a convective system near the accident site about the time of the accident with no moon illumination. No radar data associated with the accident airplane were identified. Before reaching the destination airport, the student communicated to his spouse that he was returning to the airport, presumably to his point of departure. The airplane was located the following day in an unlit, heavily wooded area of a national forest. Impact signatures were consistent with the airplane's right wing striking tree tops before the airplane descended and impacted terrain in a nose-low attitude.  A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The student's logbook was not recovered, and his total and night flying experience could not be determined. It also could not be determined whether he had received any solo endorsements. The student should not have taken off in dark, night conditions, and it is likely that, as he entered an area with little to no ambient light and cloudy weather conditions, he had no ground references or natural horizon, which resulted in his subsequent controlled descent into terrain.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.