Gulfstream American AA-1B N9888L

Summary

On 1 August 1999 at about 15:25 local time, a Gulfstream American AA-1B registered N9888L was involved in an accident near Hilliard, Florida, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

1 August 1999 at 15:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Hilliard, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Hilliard Airpark (01J)

Coordinates

30.6898, -81.9199

Aircraft

Gulfstream American AA-1B

Registration

N9888L

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Fernandina Bch

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA99FA208

1 person died.

the pilot's failure to obtain notams and his improper planning and decision to use a closed runway for takeoff with tall trees on the departure end, resulting in a subsequent collision with the trees.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that they flew to Hilliard Airpark to practice soft field techniques, and after the initial soft field landing they taxied the length of the field and discussed the takeoff, density altitude, obstacles on the climbout, takeoff weight, and selected a point on the field beyond which point they would initiate a rejected takeoff if necessary. The pilot further stated that after a brief run-up, they initiated the takeoff and climbout with the engine developing normal power, but as they approached the trees on climbout, he relinquished control to the flight instructor-rated passenger when it became apparent they were not going to clear the trees. The pilot stated that the rated passenger assumed control and tried to turn the airplane slightly to the left to an area where the trees were shorter and offered better clearance, but the right wing hit a tree and the aircraft crashed nose down and came to rest inverted. The airport had been notamed closed, and the runway marked with an X, indicating that it was closed. The airport and runway closures were due to tree growth off the end of the runways, along the flight path. The pilot did not give any indication that he checked the notams, or that he was aware that the airport was closed.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.