According to the pilot, he had an uneventful flight to a nearby airport in the Grumman AA5, and then departed to return to his home airport in Bloomingdale, Georgia.
The accident occurred during the landing attempt at the airport, however the pilot did not recall the approach or accident sequence due to serious injuries sustained in the crash.
According to a witness who lived near the airport, he heard the airplane and saw it fly over midfield before it entered the left downwind leg of the traffic pattern for Runway 13. He noted that the engine power was “pulled back.”
A few minutes later, the witness heard an impact and rushed to the accident site.
The airplane hit trees and terrain on the left side of runway and came to rest about 1,000 feet from the approach end of the runway.
Examination of the wreckage by an FAA inspector revealed that there were no anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation prior to the accident.
The wind reported at an airport 10 miles to the southeast of the accident was from 290° at 11 knots, gusting to 18 knots.
Probable Cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during landing with a gusting quartering tailwind.
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This April 2020 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
