Summary
On April 06, 2008, a American Aviation Corp. (aac) Grumman AA 1B (N15FA) was involved in an incident near State College, PA. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: A partial loss of engine power for an undetermined reason.
The certified flight instructor (CFI) stated, that he and his student were on a training flight. The CFI conducted a preflight inspection, and no anomalies were noted. After the preflight, he taxied to runway 24, added full power, and the engine was developing 2,400 rpm. He recalled that he rotated the airplane at 65 knots, and that during climb out, at about 300 feet, the power dropped to 2,100 rpm. He acknowledged that he knew he had a problem so he completed the emergency checklist, and made a precautionary off field landing. During the precautionary landing the airplane struck a ditch and nosed over. Examination of the engine by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that valve train continuity was established.
This incident is documented in NTSB report MIA08CA087. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N15FA.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
A partial loss of engine power for an undetermined reason.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The certified flight instructor (CFI) stated, that he and his student were on a training flight. The CFI conducted a preflight inspection, and no anomalies were noted. After the preflight, he taxied to runway 24, added full power, and the engine was developing 2,400 rpm. He recalled that he rotated the airplane at 65 knots, and that during climb out, at about 300 feet, the power dropped to 2,100 rpm. He acknowledged that he knew he had a problem so he completed the emergency checklist, and made a precautionary off field landing. During the precautionary landing the airplane struck a ditch and nosed over. Examination of the engine by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that valve train continuity was established. Further examination revealed that there were no mechanical anomalies noted with the engine, and the decrease in engine power could not be determined.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# MIA08CA087