Grumman American AA-5B accident near Steamboat Sprng, CO
On July 19, 2003, a Grumman American AA-5B (airplane) was involved in an accident near Steamboat Sprng, CO. 3 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- July 19, 2003
- Place
- Steamboat Sprng, CO
- Aircraft
- Grumman American AA-5B · Airplane
- Injuries
- 3 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 40.335°N, 106.688°W
- NTSB ID
- 20030725X01196
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On July 19, 2003, at approximately 1100 mountain daylight time, a Grumman American AA-5B, N742BM, operated by the pilot, was destroyed when it impacted mountainous terrain near Rabbit Ears Pass, approximately 15 miles southeast of Steamboat Springs, Colorado. A post impact fire ensued. The private pilot and his two passengers were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan had been filed for the personal flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. According to one witness, an airplane, matching the description of the accident airplane, departed the Fort Collins Downtown Airport (3V5), Fort Collins, Colorado, at approximately 0900. A second witness reported that an airplane, matching that same description, landed at Steamboat Springs/Bob Adams Field (SBS), Steamboat Springs, Colorado. According to the second witness, the airplane was on the ground for a short time. During this time, the second witness assisted the pilot in servicing one of the airplane's main landing gear tires with air while one of the passengers took a bathroom break. The pilot did not purchase fuel for the aircraft at SBS. The airplane departed at approximately 1045. According to the Routt County Sheriff's Office, at 1116, they received a report of vertically rising black smoke near Rabbit Ears Pass. At approximately 1330, a crew in a firefighting helicopter dispatched to the scene to contain the fire, reported that there was aircraft wreckage in the fire. At approximately 1630, a search and rescue team reported an unknown number of fatalities. Due
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain terrain clearance. Contributing factors include the pilot's inadequate preflight planning/preparation, high density altitude, and mountainous conditions.
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Browse: Colorado · 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.
