Pilot Debrief

GRUMMAN AMERICAN AVN. CORP. AA-1B near Golden, NM — 2009-03-09

Final reportCEN09FA195
Sign in to save
Date
2009-03-09
Location
Golden, NM, USA
Airport
1N1
Aircraft
GRUMMAN AMERICAN AVN. CORP. AA-1B
Registration
N9646L
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
2
Phase of flight
Takeoff roll

Probable cause

The pilot's continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's recent usage of alcohol and his subsequent impairment.

Contributing factors

Contributing to the accident were the pilot's recent usage of alcohol and his subsequent impairment.

NTSB narrative

The non-instrument-rated private pilot and passenger were commuting to work in the dark, following a familiar route of flight. The airplane was not equipped to fly in instrument weather conditions and there was no evidence found indicating the pilot had obtained a weather briefing or filed a flight plan. One witness described light rain falling at the departure airfield 30 minutes before the airplane departed. A second witness, who was driving along the airplane's intended route of flight, saw the airplane depart the airfield and described the weather deteriorating from light rain to snow as she drove towards the accident site. She indicated that heavy snow was falling when she saw the accident site and notified authorities. Ethanol was detected in a postmortem urine specimen (at 0.191 mg/dL), and in two separate postmortem blood specimens from the pilot (at 0.075 and 0.092 mg/dL), consistent with impairment from the effects of alcohol at the time of the accident. No witnesses to the pilot’s behavior the night prior to the accident could be found.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
VFR into IMC
First missed decision gate
Pilot did not obtain a weather briefing before departure.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 10 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents10

Related mishaps