American AA1B accident near Petaluma, CA
On February 10, 2005, an American AA1B (airplane) was involved in an accident near Petaluma, CA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- February 10, 2005
- Place
- Petaluma, CA
- Aircraft
- American AA1B · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 37.263°N, 122.611°W
- NTSB ID
- 20050215X00190
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On February 9, 2005, at 1600 Pacific standard time, an American AA1B, N5704L, collided with terrain following an uncontrolled descent at the Petaluma Municipal Airport, Petaluma, California. The airplane was operated by the owner under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The commercial pilot was fatally injured and the airplane was destroyed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan had not been filed. The flight originated at Petaluma airport about 1540. Witnesses reported to the National Transportation Safety Board investigator that the airplane had completed at least one touch-and-go to runway 11. During the climb out following a touch-and-go, they heard the airplane's engine sputter and backfire. The airplane turned towards a downwind direction and was about 100 feet above ground level (agl) and 100 feet offset to the north of the runway. The airplane paralleled the runway before it pitched nose up and entered a nose down vertical descending right turn, impacting the grass fairway of a golf course. No distress call by the pilot was heard on the airport's common advisory frequency. PERSONNEL INFORMATION A review of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records revealed that the pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with airplane single engine land and instrument ratings, which was issued on July 30, 1997. The pilot held a second-class medical certificate that was issued on May 5, 2003, that contained the limitation he must wear corrective lenses. An examination of the pilot's logbook indicated that he had accumulated a total of 618
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed above the stall speed (Vso) while maneuvering to a landing area that resulted in a stall-spin. Factors in the accident were the fuel starvation induced loss of engine power due to the pilot's fuel system mismanagement, and the mechanical binding of the fuel selector valve due to inadequate maintenance.
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Browse: California · 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.
