ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 231792
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| Date: | Sunday 29 December 2019 |
| Time: | 14:48 |
| Type: |  Grumman American AA-5A Cheetah |
| Owner/operator: | Debs Aviation LLC |
| Registration: | N26455 |
| MSN: | AA5A-0599 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1978 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 3607 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-320 SERIES |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | College Park, MD -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | College Park Airport, MD (CGS/KCGS) |
| White Plains-Westchester County Airport, NY (HPN/KHPN) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On December 29, 2019, at 1448 eastern standard time, a Grumman American Aviation AA-5A, N26455, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near College Park Airport (CGS), College Park, Maryland. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
Prior to departure, the pilot received a standard weather briefing that included pertinent weather information along the route and his instrument departure clearance. Cloud ceilings were reported to be 500 ft above ground level and cloud tops were reported to be 21,000 ft mean sea level (msl). After departing, radar data showed the airplane maintained a heading of about 140° for about one minute airplane climbed to 1,200 ft msl and the pilot contacted air traffic control. He was instructed to turn to heading 310° once above 1,700 ft. The airplane initiated a right turn and climbed to about 1,900 ft before entering a right spiraling descent and impacting the ground.
Toxicology testing of the pilot’s tissue indicated the presence of diphenhydramine in liver and urine. Diphenhydramine is a sedating antihistamine that carries the following warning: may impair mental and/or physical ability required for the performance of potentially hazardous tasks (e.g., driving, operating heavy machinery). However, the samples tested were unsuitable for determining whether the levels identified could have caused impairment. As a result, it could not be determined if the pilot's use of a potentially impairing substance contributed to the accident.
Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane prior to the accident. Analyses of the weather conditions, radar track data, and wreckage distribution are consistent with the pilot becoming spatially disoriented and entering a graveyard spiral while making a climbing turn in instrument meteorological conditions.
Probable Cause: The pilot's loss of airplane control due to spatial disorientation after entering a climbing turn in instrument meteorological conditions.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/prince-georges-fire-responds-to-report-of-plane-crash-into-house/2194004/
https://wtop.com/prince-georges-county/2019/12/small-plane-crashes-in-prince-georges-county-damages-homes-and-cars/
NTSB
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n26455
https://photos-e1.flightcdn.com/photos/retriever/70037d5d00824d7d3c8b16217f21b9b362c80ba2 (photo)
Location
Images:
Photo: NTSB
Media:
Plane Crash final U/D from #PGFD just before 3 pm small aircraft struck attached carport of single family home then struck automobile with both plane & car catching fire. Small fire in house attic. Home was not occupied. 1 person on plane declared deceased on scene. pic.twitter.com/TuLBDHVFGd
— Mark Brady (@PGFDPIO) December 29, 2019
USA-Prince George’s County Police confirmed on Sunday afternoon that a Grumman AA-5A plane crashed in a neighborhood near the intersection of Good Luck Road and Auburn Avenue in New Carrollton, Maryland. Pilot killed.
— PLANES OF LEGEND (@PlanesOfLegend) December 30, 2019
ASN: https://t.co/qLZs9vUgsc
Press: https://t.co/iHHm7dGJ6S pic.twitter.com/PfVEMMivK6
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 29-Dec-2019 22:14 | Geno | Added |
| 30-Dec-2019 00:08 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Embed code] |
| 30-Dec-2019 00:15 | RobertMB | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Other fatalities, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 30-Dec-2019 00:18 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 30-Dec-2019 00:28 | RobertMB | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 30-Dec-2019 00:55 | Captain Adam | Updated [Narrative] |
| 12-Aug-2022 21:43 | Captain Adam | Updated [Location, Source, Narrative, Accident report, Photo] |
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