Grumman American AA-5B accident near Deadwood, SD
On July 26, 1998, a Grumman American AA-5B (airplane) was involved in an accident near Deadwood, SD. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- July 26, 1998
- Place
- Deadwood, SD
- Aircraft
- Grumman American AA-5B · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 44.380°N, 103.719°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001211X10539
NTSB summary
On July 26, 1998, about 1430 mountain daylight time (mdt), a Grumman American AA-5B, N4535P, piloted by a private pilot, was destroyed during a collision with trees, terrain and post-impact fire. Circumstances leading to the accident are unknown. The airplane was declared missing on July 26, 1998, and was found on August 1, 1998, Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The flight departed Spearfish, South Dakota, about 1330 mdt. According to the Lawrence County Sheriff's Office, Deadwood, South Dakota, the elevation of the terrain at the accident site was 4,800 and 5,100-feet above mean sea level. The sheriff department's report said the crash occurred in a "...bowl..." created by hilly and mountainous terrain. The report said that "The area is very heavy in vegetation and tree growth." The report continued, "The wreckage was spread out in an area of [a] 100-foot circle. It appeared that the [airplane] came in from the west, striking a pine tree prior to going down." The report details positions of the wreckage and condition. The report is appended to this document. A report from the United States Air Force Civil Air Patrol, Lookout Mountain Comosite Squardron 40063, said, "...the [witness] reported the aircraft flying over lead High School and hearing a loud pop, a sputtering sound and the plane flying Northwest in a 'big swooping circle'... ." The report is appended to this report. Pilot flight records records were not found
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from the trees.
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Browse: South Dakota · Grumman American aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
