Grumman American AA-5A N9944U

Summary

On 29 December 1996 at about 19:15 local time, a Grumman American AA-5A registered N9944U was involved in an accident near Banning, California, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 December 1996 at 19:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Banning, California, United States

Coordinates

33.9508, -116.8307

Aircraft

Grumman American AA-5A

Registration

N9944U

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Redlands → Banning

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX97LA079

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's intentional low flight in an area of foothills and canyons at an altitude insufficient to maintain clearance from obstacles.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot told responding police officers that he was flying to the Banning airport to refuel when the engine began to sputter. He further stated that he was in the process of changing fuel tanks and did not see the high tension power lines. The officers reported that the accident site was in a canyon in the foothills north of the city. The power lines struck by the aircraft hang below the elevation of the canyon ridges where the towers are located. The lines are not marked. Several ground witnesses, including an off-duty Banning police sergeant, reported that they observed the aircraft flying low in the canyons near the accident site for at least a 15-minute period before the aircraft collided with power lines. Police officers at the accident site reported that they were concerned because fuel was leaking from both fuel tanks and posed a threat to a nearby stream.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.