Gulfstream AA-5B N4557E
25 November 1990 · Erie, Colorado, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 25 November 1990 at about 23:50 local time, a Gulfstream AA-5B registered N4557E was involved in an accident near Erie, Colorado, United States. 3 people were 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 23:50
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Erie, Colorado, United States
- Nearest airport
- Tri County (48V)
- Coordinates
- 40.0204, -105.0391
- Aircraft
- Gulfstream AA-5B
- Registration
- N4557E
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Trinidad → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Dusk
- NTSB number
- DEN91LA021
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Probable cause
IMPROPER FLARE BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING. A REALTED FACTOR WAS: LOW LIGHT CONDITION AT DUSK.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS FLYING TWO PASSENGERS ON A ROUND TRIP CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE HAD THE BRAKES REPAIRED AT EL PASO, TEXAS, AND WAS DISTRACTED BY WORRY OVER THE BRAKES ABILITY TO STOP ON THE DOWN HILL RUNWAY. HE REPORTED THAT HE MADE A NORMAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 27, AND FLARED HIGH BECAUSE OF THE DARKNESS, RESULTING IN A HARD LANDING. THE PLANE BOUNCED BACK INTO THE AIR, THE PILOT ADDED POWER AND MADE A GO-AROUND. HE SAID THE ENGINE VIBRATED BADLY, AND HE ASSUMED THE PROPELLER STRUCK THE RUNWAY, EITHER DURING THE HARD LANDING OR AS HE ADDED POWER. ON THE SECOND APPROACH, AT TOUCHDOWN, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED, THE PLANE DEPARTED THE RUNWAY, SHEARED THE MAIN GEAR AND CAME TO REST NOSE DOWN. THE RIGHT WING WAS BENT BACK, BOTH WING SPARS, THE FUSELAGE AND TAIL SECTION WERE DAMAGED. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE MAIN LANDING GEAR LEGS WERE OVER STRESSED AND THE LOWER FUSELAGE WAS CRUSHED INWARD.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Gulfstream AA-5B accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Feb 1988 | Gulfstream AA-5B | Bridgeport, Connecticut, United States | Carney Aviation | No injuries | - |
| 21 Nov 1986 | Gulfstream AA-5B | Fullerton, California, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 6 Oct 1985 | Gulfstream AA-5B | Orinda, California, United States | Trans Bay Airways | Fatal | 3 |
| 1 Jun 1985 | Gulfstream AA-5B | Boxborough, Massachusetts, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 2 Aug 1983 | Gulfstream AA-5B | West Chicago, Illinois, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 5 Jul 1982 | Gulfstream AA-5B | Mankato, Kansas, United States | Mark K.koppin | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 Apr 1990 | Cessna 170B | Englewood, Colorado, United States | Wilson, Richard H. | No injuries | - |
| 21 Apr 1990 | Cessna 310B | Elizabeth, Colorado, United States | Preferred Avitation, Ltd. | No injuries | - |
| 27 Apr 1990 | Cessna 172 | Englewood, Colorado, United States | PC Flyers | No injuries | - |
| 28 Apr 1990 | Aero Commander CALLAIR A-9B | Montrose, Colorado, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 6 May 1990 | Cessna 337 | Broomfield, Colorado, United States | OUT and About Aviation | No injuries | - |
| 8 May 1990 | Beechcraft B-55 | Watkins, Colorado, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |