GRUMMAN AA5 near Admire, KS — 2026-02-23

Probable cause

NTSB has not published a probable cause for this accident yet. Preliminary reports describe what happened; the cause is determined later, often 12–24 months after the event.

NTSB narrative

On February 23, 2026, about 0958 central standard time, a Grumman AA-5A airplane, N9939U, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Admire, Kansas. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. The airplane was equipped with long-range fuel tanks and the pilot stated that on the day of the accident, he fully fueled the airplane and departed from the Ellington Airport (LUG), Lewisburg, Tennessee. Based on ADS-B data and pilot recollection, the airplane departed LUG about 0440 and flew to Kansas City Downtown Airport – Wheeler Field (MKC), Kansas City, Missouri, landing about 0825. After a brief stop, the airplane departed MKC about 0910 and headed towards Council Grove Airport (K63), Council Grove, Kansas. While the airplane was in cruise flight at 2,500 ft mean sea level, the pilot reported the engine RPM began to increase and then decrease. When the engine power began to decrease, and he switched fuel tanks, but was unable to restore engine power. He performed a forced landing to a field. During the forced landing, the landing gear collapsed, and both wings were substantially damaged. The airplane was retained for further examination.

Preliminary NTSB coding

• Loss of engine power (total) · Unknown