American Aviation AA 5 accident near Dunnellon, FL
On August 1, 2020, an American Aviation AA 5 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Dunnellon, FL. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- August 1, 2020
- Place
- Dunnellon, FL
- Aircraft
- American Aviation AA 5 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 29.061°N, 82.397°W
- NTSB ID
- 20200802X53946
Official records · ERA20LA271
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
On August 1, 2020, at an unknown time, a Grumman American AA-5, N7192L, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Marion County Airport (X35), Dunnellon, Florida. The private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight. The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. According to the airport manager, the pilot texted his girlfriend at 1527 eastern daylight time and said he was going to "fly a couple laps" around the X35 traffic pattern. The pilot did not file a flight plan and was not in communication with air traffic control. When his girlfriend did not hear back from the pilot later that afternoon, she contacted the airport manager, who in turn notified law enforcement. A search was initiated, and the airplane was located the following morning less than 1 mile west of the airport in heavily wooded terrain. There was no post impact fire. According to the airplane's co-owner, she and the pilot had recently purchased the airplane. She said it had not flown in 14 years and the airplane was "in pieces" when it was purchased. The unassembled airplane was transported to the pilot's home, where it was partially assembled by the pilot then moved to X35 where it was fully assembled. The pilot did not hold a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-issued mechanic certificate but was known to restore, build, and repair vehicles and boats. The co-owner, who is not a pilot, said the pilot performed a test-flight of the newly assembled airp
Probable cause
A total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of improper installation and inspection of the airplane’s fuel system. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s lack of certification and knowledge in aircraft maintenance.
More accidents in FL
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Browse: Florida · 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.
