Pilot Debrief

Grumman American Aviation AA-5A near Beaumont, TX — 2008-04-11

Final reportDEN08LA074
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Date
2008-04-11
Location
Beaumont, TX, USA
Aircraft
Grumman American Aviation AA-5A
Registration
N9764U
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Serious
Fatalities
0

Probable cause

The pilot's inability to maintain aircraft control in cruise flight and encounter with a thunderstorm. Contributing to the accident was an inadvertent stall/spin.

NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, while in cruise flight at 7,000 feet in instrument meteorological conditions, he encountered embedded thunderstorms and up and down drafts. Multiple unusual attitudes were encountered and engine power was lost. Shortly thereafter, the airplane entered a flat spin, from which the pilot was unable to recover. The airplane impacted a field in a flat attitude, resulting in substantial damage. An examination of the airplane's systems and an engine run revealed no anomalies. Satellite and radar data depicted embedded towering cumulus clouds and rain shower activity in the accident area.

NTSB coding

View NTSB final report

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