Summary
On November 26, 2010, a Grumman American Avn. Corp. AA-5B (N74400) was involved in an incident near Coalinga, CA. 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: The pilot's failure to remove the gust lock prior to takeoff.
The pilot submitted a written statement. She said she did not conduct a control check prior to takeoff. During the departure roll when the airplane reached 70 miles per hour, she realized the gust lock was still installed. She attempted to remove it unsuccessfully and then reduced the throttle attempting to stop the airplane. The airplane went off the end of the runway, the nose gear separated, and it came to rest in a dirt field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall and right wing.
This incident is documented in NTSB report WPR11CA066. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N74400.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's failure to remove the gust lock prior to takeoff.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The pilot submitted a written statement. She said she did not conduct a control check prior to takeoff. During the departure roll when the airplane reached 70 miles per hour, she realized the gust lock was still installed. She attempted to remove it unsuccessfully and then reduced the throttle attempting to stop the airplane. The airplane went off the end of the runway, the nose gear separated, and it came to rest in a dirt field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall and right wing.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# WPR11CA066