Grumman American AA-5B N28452

Summary

On 8 July 1996 at about 00:00 local time, a Grumman American AA-5B registered N28452 was involved in an accident near St Maries, Idaho, 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.

Date

8 July 1996 at 00:00

Classification

Accident

Location

St Maries, Idaho, United States

Coordinates

47.1998, -116.5505

Aircraft

Grumman American AA-5B

Registration

N28452

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA96LA146

1 person died.

the pilot's impairment of judgment and performance due to a drug (marijuana), and his failure to see-and-avoid power lines. The pilot's intentional low altitude flight was a related factor.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

About three days before the accident, complaints of low-flying were reported to the local sheriff's office concerning the airplane (N28452). On the day of the accident, witnesses saw the airplane flying at 'tree height' (about 60 feet above the surface) along the St. Joe River. The witnesses reported that the airplane struck a power line, which crossed the river, knocking the line into the water. They said that following the wire strike, flames erupted from the airplane, and it continued about one mile before striking a second power line and crashing. A toxicology test of the pilot's blood revealed 0.028 mcg/ml of tetrahydrocannabinol (marijuana) and 0.093 mcg/ml of tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid (metabolite of marijuana). A test of his urine revealed 0.869 mcg/ml of tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.