Grumman American AA-5B N321GD

Summary

On 21 December 2022 at about 19:54 local time, a Grumman American AA-5B registered N321GD was involved in an accident near Reserve, Louisiana, 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

21 December 2022 at 19:54

Classification

Accident

Location

Reserve, Louisiana, United States

Nearest airport

Port of South Louisiana Execut (APS)

Coordinates

30.0875, -90.5828

Aircraft

Grumman American AA-5B

Registration

N321GD

Category

Airplane

Year built

1977

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Reserve → Reserve

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

CEN23LA068

Nobody was injured.

The partial loss of engine power due to carburetor icing and the flight instructor’s failure to use carburetor heat in weather conditions conducive to serious carburetor icing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot receiving instruction and his flight instructor were conducting an instructional flight in night instrument meteorological conditions when the airplane had a partial loss of engine power shortly after takeoff. The pilot-receiving-instruction reported that about 500 ft above the ground the engine began “coughing/sputtering” and there was a decrease in engine rpm. The flight instructor stated that the engine speed decreased to about 1,400 rpm, but when he leaned the fuel mixture the engine speed increased about 200 rpm. The flight instructor made a left 180° turn back toward the airport. The airplane’s left-wing tip impacted the ground, the nose gear collapsed, and the engine partially separated from the firewall when the airplane impacted the terrain during the forced landing. The postaccident engine examination did not reveal any evidence of mechanical malfunction that would have precluded normal operation. Additionally, the airplane had ample fuel available that did not contain any water or debris. The weather conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to a serious accumulation of carburetor icing with the engine operating at cruise power. According to a Federal Aviation Administration Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin, pilots should use carburetor heat while in weather conditions where carburetor icing is probable. The flight instructor stated that he did not use carburetor heat after the loss of engine power. Based on the available information, the partial loss of engine power was likely due to carburetor ice accumulation. Additionally, the low altitude at which the loss of engine power occurred significantly reduced the amount of time available to the flight instructor to troubleshoot and restore engine power before the forced landing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.