Grumman AA-5B N74312
29 April 1990 · Fredericksburg, Pennsylvania, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 29 April 1990 at about 23:15 local time, a Grumman AA-5B registered N74312, operated by Joseph W. Davis, was involved in an accident near Fredericksburg, Pennsylvania, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 23:15
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Fredericksburg, Pennsylvania, United States
- Coordinates
- 40.4497, -76.4209
- Aircraft
- Grumman AA-5B
- Registration
- N74312
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Joseph W. Davis
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Sigel → Pottstown,
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- IMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- NYC90FA099
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND HIS FAILURE (OR INABILITY) TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AFTER BECOMING SPATIALLY DISORIENTED. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
A NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PRIVATE PILOT DEPARTED ON A SOLO CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT WITHOUT FILING A FLIGHT PLAN OR OBTAINING AN FAA WEATHER BRIEFING. DURING FLIGHT, HE ENCOUNTERED DETERIORATING WEATHER CONDITIONS. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED ON SPARCELY WOODED TERRAIN. IMPACT OCCURRED NEAR THE TOP OF A RIDGE AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 1800 FT ON A HEADING OF ABOUT 150 DEG. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED DURING IMPACT; WRECKAGE WAS CONFINED TO A SMALL AREA. A WITNESS OF THE WEATHER IN THE AREA ESTIMATED THE SKY CONDITION WAS ABOUT 300 FT OVERCAST. WEATHER AT THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS NOT VERIFIED.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Grumman AA-5B accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Apr 1990 | Grumman AA-5B | Stone Mountain, Georgia, United States | Robert E. Bridges | No injuries | - |
| 4 Sep 1989 | Grumman AA-5B | South Harpswell, Maine, United States | Star Aviation | No injuries | - |
| 13 Apr 1989 | Grumman AA-5B | Siler City, North Carolina, United States | WRA, Inc | No injuries | - |
| 6 Sep 1989 | Grumman AA-5B | California City, California, United States | Sussex Aviation | Fatal | 1 |
| 27 Feb 1988 | Grumman AA-5B | Frazier Park, California, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 31 Jan 1988 | Grumman AA-5B | Clearwater, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Jul 1990 | Aeronca 7BCM | Doylestown, Pennsylvania, United States | Edward Cole | No injuries | - |
| 16 Jul 1990 | Piper PA-23-150 | Radnow Township, Pennsylvania, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 22 Jul 1990 | Cessna 340A | Prospect, Pennsylvania, United States | Brennan Aviation Corp. | No injuries | - |
| 26 Jul 1990 | Cessna 180 | Hilltown, Pennsylvania, United States | JOE A. Bawduniak | Minor injuries | - |
| 2 Aug 1990 | Piper PA-28-151 | Mt Pocono, Pennsylvania, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 4 Aug 1990 | Piper PA-28-140 | Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania, United States | Raymond L. Corper | No injuries | - |