Plane Crash List

Grumman American AA-5B N28565

8 August 1989 · Terminal Island, California, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 8 August 1989 at about 19:09 local time, a Grumman American AA-5B registered N28565, operated by Brown, Gerald B., was involved in an accident near Terminal Island, California, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 19:09
Classification
Accident
Location
Terminal Island, California, United States
Coordinates
33.7302, -118.2906
Aircraft
Grumman American AA-5B
Registration
N28565
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
Brown, Gerald B.
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Long Beach → Avalon
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
LAX89LA267

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
1 0 0 0 1

Probable cause

THE FATIGUE FAILURE OF AN EXHAUST VALVE DUE TO EXCESSIVE WEAR OF THE RESPECTIVE VALVE GUIDE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE FENCE & CARS IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING AN OVERWATER FLT TO CROSS A 23 MI CHANNEL, THE ENG BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH & LOOSE POWER. THE PLT TURNED TOWARD THE SHORE & MADE A FORCED LANDING ON A DIRT ROAD ON TERMINAL ISLAND. BEFORE THE ACFT STOPPED, IT COLLIDED WITH A FENCE & SVRL PARKED CARS IN A STORAGE LOT. AN EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED THE TOP OF THE #1 PISTON & THE #1 CYLINDER HEAD WERE SEVERELY BATTERED; THE #1 EXHAUST VALVE HEAD HAD SEPD FROM ITS STEM & WAS FOUND IN THE EXHAUST SYSTEM; THE EXHAUST VALVE GUIDE WAS SEVERELY WORN AT THE EXHAUST PORT; AND THE VALVE STEM AREA WAS HEAVILY CORRODED & COKED WITH EXHAUST RESIDUE. A FATIGUE FRACTURE WAS IDENTIFIED ON A PORTION OF THE VALVE HEAD THAT WAS NOT DAMAGED. A METALLURGICAL EXAM REVEALED EVIDENCE THAT THE VALVE HAD FAILED FROM FATIGUE DUE TO OVERHEATING, WHICH RESULTED FROM A WORN OR BELL MOUTHED VALVE GUIDE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Grumman American AA-5B accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
7 Aug 1991 Grumman American AA-5B
N28544
Camden, Tennessee, United States Hamilton, Ernest O. No injuries -
16 Jun 1987 Grumman American AA-5B
N1524R
Croton Fall, New York, United States Heinz Kleutneier No injuries -
12 Feb 1992 Grumman American AA-5B
CGRRZ
West Glacier, Montana, United States Smith, Willard A. Fatal 2
20 Aug 1993 Grumman American AA-5B
N1547R
Westerly, Rhode Island, United States
approximate position
- Serious injuries -
10 Nov 1985 Grumman American AA-5B
N28495
Gold Run, California, United States - Fatal 3
17 Oct 1993 Grumman American AA-5B
N28930
Fort Myers, Florida, United States
approximate position
Waller, Kurt B. Serious injuries -

All 51 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
15 Sep 1989 Piper PA-31-350
N70PE
Ontario, California, United States Ameriflight Fatal 1
26 Sep 1989 Piper PA-25-235
N4450Y
Warner Springs, California, United States - No injuries -
19 Sep 1989 Cessna 310K
N6958L
Ojai, California, United States - Fatal 2
30 Sep 1989 Cessna 182
N96642
Eureka, California, United States Nothern Air No injuries -
30 Sep 1989 Cessna 152
N6422M
Lancaster, California, United States West Coast Air Center Fatal 2
29 Sep 1989 Bellanca 17-30A
N8272R
Palo Alto, California, United States Klouda, Linda K. Minor injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States