Pilot Debrief

GRUMMAN AA-1B near Chesnee, SC — 2009-04-07

Final reportERA09FA235
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Date
2009-04-07
Location
Chesnee, SC, USA
Aircraft
GRUMMAN AA-1B
Registration
N8998L
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1
Phase of flight
Climb

Probable cause

A loss of engine power in flight due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot's inadequate inflight fuel planning and the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed while descending for a forced landing.

NTSB narrative

A witness reported that the accident airplane flew over his house and the engine sounded as if it was running slowly. The wings were rocking from side to side. As he continued to watch the airplane, the engine stopped running and the airplane descended until it crashed. The airplane impacted the ground in about a 35-degree nose-low attitude. Each wing leading edge had accordion type damage along the entire length. Examination of the fuel tanks found that they were not breached or damaged. The fuel tanks were drained; 3 gallons of fuel were recovered from the left tank and 1.5 gallons of fuel were recovered from the right tank. The recovered fuel included approximately 1 gallon from each tank that the airplane manufacturer considered unusable. The fuel selector was found in the off position. Examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal evidence of a preimpact malfunction or failure. In the month prior to the accident, the pilot was suffering from urinary symptoms that were interfering with his ability to obtain adequate sleep. Toxicology testing indicates that he had likely used at least one prescription sleep aid the night prior to the accident, in addition to relatively recent use of a sedating over-the-counter antihistamine and a prescription barbiturate medication. While the pilot’s extensive experience and the circumstances of the accident indicate the possibility that the pilot may have been distracted by physical symptoms, impaired by fatigue, or impaired by the effects of one or more of the medications he had recently ingested, the investigation was unable to determine conclusively that the pilot suffered from impairment or distraction.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Engine power loss
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have checked fuel selector before takeoff to ensure it was on.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

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

Docket documents15

Related mishaps

GRUMMAN AA-1B near Chesnee, SC — 2009-04-07 · Pilot Debrief