Grumman American AA-5 N6061L
5 July 2005 · Branchville, New Jersey, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 5 July 2005 at about 17:00 local time, a Grumman American AA-5 registered N6061L, operated by Peter John Horvat, was involved in an accident near Branchville, New Jersey, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously 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 17:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Branchville, New Jersey, United States
- Coordinates
- 41.1614, -74.8144
- Aircraft
- Grumman American AA-5
- Registration
- N6061L
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Peter John Horvat
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Hawley → Lincoln Park
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- IAD05LA095
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
An electrical fire of unknown origin. A factor in the accident was the pilot's failure to perform the In-Flight Electrical Fires checklist.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
While in cruise flight over mountains, the pilot smelled a combination of "electrical smoke and fuel." He opened the canopy and at the same time, fire came out from under the instrument panel. He then closed the canopy, and the fire diminished. He did not execute the 'In-Flight Electrical Fires' checklist, and chose to attempt a forced landing on top of a ridge in a state forest. During the landing, the airplane struck trees, and began to leak fuel. Examination of the airplane revealed fire damage in the vicinity of the airplane's battery and the electrical wiring harness that lead from the battery. The engine, engine accessories, and surrounding structure were undamaged by fire. The airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed approximately 6 months prior to the accident, and as part of the inspection, work was performed on wiring going to the cigar lighter, and the cables for the electric starter.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Grumman American AA-5 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Mar 2005 | Grumman American AA-5 | Chesapeake, Ohio, United States | - | Fatal | 3 |
| 23 May 2004 | Grumman American AA-5 | Greene, Rhode Island, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 29 Sep 2007 | Grumman American AA-5 TRAVELER | Warrenton, Missouri, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 12 Sep 2007 | Grumman American AA-5 | Joshua Tree, California, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 24 Oct 2007 | Grumman American AA-5 | Wheatland, Wyoming, United States | Steven Burnett | No injuries | - |
| 27 Feb 2010 | Grumman American AA-5 | Maple Lake, Minnesota, United States | - | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Sep 2005 | Sikorsky S-76B | Linden, New Jersey, United States | ExcelAire Service Inc. | Serious injuries | - |
| 4 Jul 2005 | Meyer ATLANTIS | Pittstown, New Jersey, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 31 May 2005 | Swearingen SA-226T | Teterboro, New Jersey, United States | Dominick Alfieri | Serious injuries | - |
| 7 Aug 2005 | Cirrus SR20 | Farmingdale, New Jersey, United States | Cerified Flyers II | No injuries | - |
| 7 Feb 2005 | Air Creation CLIPPER 912 | Woodbine, New Jersey, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 5 Jul 2005 | Piper PA-25 | Cape May, New Jersey, United States | - | No injuries | - |