ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 178513
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Sunday 9 August 2015 |
| Time: | 20:50 |
| Type: |  Grumman American AA-5A Cheetah |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N9684U |
| MSN: | AA5A-0050 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1975 |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-320-E2G |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Shawnee Nat'l Forest near Burden Falls, NW of Eddyville, IL -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Marion, KY (5M9) |
| Marion, IL (MWA) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The student pilot departed for a cross-country personal flight with one passenger on a moonless night. Meteorological and astrological conditions on the night of the accident included a convective system near the accident site about the time of the accident with no moon illumination. No radar data associated with the accident airplane were identified.
Before reaching the destination airport, the student communicated to his spouse that he was returning to the airport, presumably to his point of departure. The airplane was located the following day in an unlit, heavily wooded area of a national forest. Impact signatures were consistent with the airplane's right wing striking tree tops before the airplane descended and impacted terrain in a nose-low attitude.
A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The student's logbook was not recovered, and his total and night flying experience could not be determined. It also could not be determined whether he had received any solo endorsements.
The student should not have taken off in dark, night conditions, and it is likely that, as he entered an area with little to no ambient light and cloudy weather conditions, he had no ground references or natural horizon, which resulted in his subsequent controlled descent into terrain.
Probable Cause: The student pilot's improper decision to conduct a flight in dark, night conditions and his subsequent controlled flight into terrain.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
FAA register: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=9684U
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 11-Aug-2015 04:43 | Geno | Added |
| 14-Aug-2015 02:11 | Geno | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Source] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:30 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 01-Dec-2017 15:07 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Other fatalities, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation