GRUMMAN AMERICAN AVN. CORP. AA 5
West Point, VA — December 2, 2015
Event Information
| Date | December 2, 2015 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | GAA16CA066 |
| Event ID | 20151202X31330 |
| Location | West Point, VA |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 37.52111, -76.77528 |
| Airport | MIDDLE PENINSULA RGNL |
| Highest Injury | NONE |
Aircraft
| Make | GRUMMAN AMERICAN AVN. CORP. |
| Model | AA 5 |
| Category | AIR |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | NITE |
| Weather | IMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 1 |
| Total Injured | 0 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
The pilot's decision to fly a traffic pattern following an aborted instrument landing in night instrument metrological conditions, which resulted in a loss of visual reference to the runway, an inadvertent aerodynamic stall, and a collision with terrain.
Full Narrative
The pilot reported that during a flight under night Instrument Flight Rules (IFR), he exited Instrument Metrological Conditions (IMC) "400 feet high and fast" during the instrument approach. The pilot continued the landing and reported that he touched down more than half way down the wet runway, and then decided to abort the landing. Instead of performing the published missed approach procedure, the pilot turned left and entered the traffic pattern.
During the left base, the pilot reported that he reentered IMC, heard the stall warning horn, and felt buffeting. During the inadvertent aerodynamic stall, the pilot added power but continued the descent to land. The pilot reported that he regained visual reference to the runway lights on final approach and realized he was too low. As he attempted to add full power to go-around, the airplane impacted terrain about 1,300 feet west of the runway in a left wing down attitude. The vertical stabilizer, fuselage, and both wings sustained substantial damage.
The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.