Pilot Debrief

GRUMMAN AMERICAN AVN. CORP. AA 1C near Hemet, CA — 2013-09-09

Final reportWPR13LA432
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Date
2013-09-09
Location
Hemet, CA, USA
Airport
HMT
Aircraft
GRUMMAN AMERICAN AVN. CORP. AA 1C
Registration
N9923U
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Approach

Probable cause

The airplane’s hard landing due to the pilot’s failure to maintain sufficient airspeed while on approach after shutting down the engine because of the smoke in the cockpit from a burnt wire that originated from the alternator field terminal and extended to the cockpit.

NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, while on the downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern, smoke entered the cockpit and that his passenger thought the engine was on fire. He immediately shut down the engine and opened the canopy a little, which cleared most of the smoke. He then transmitted on the common traffic advisory frequency that he had smoke in the cockpit and was going to make an emergency landing. As the pilot turned the airplane toward the runway, he observed a helicopter on it, and he transmitted his intention to land a second time. The pilot slowed the airplane and then saw the helicopter depart. As the helicopter lifted off, the pilot "tried to make the runway." The pilot reported that, during the approach to landing, the airplane was "too low and too slow," and, subsequently, the airplane landed hard. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed a burnt wire that originated from the field terminal of the voltage regulator and extended into the cabin through the engine firewall. It is likely that the burnt wire created the smoke that entered the cockpit. The reason for the burnt wire could not be determined.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted landing earlier due to low and slow approach.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 3 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents3

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