N5690L

Substantial
Minor

AMERICAN AA 1S/N: AA1-0090

Accident Details

Date
Sunday, April 9, 2017
NTSB Number
GAA17CA241
Location
New Market, VA
Event ID
20170410X84825
Coordinates
38.657222, -78.708885
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
1
Uninjured
0
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot’s failure to maintain a proper approach path, which resulted in an impact with trees.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N5690L
Make
AMERICAN
Serial Number
AA1-0090
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
1969
Model / ICAO
AA 1IR23
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
SHOLTES ROBERT S
Address
6227 CRANBERRY DR
Status
Deregistered
City
PORT ORANGE
State / Zip Code
FL 32127-9548
Country
United States

Analysis

The pilot reported that during approach the sun was in his eyes and "unexpectedly the stall warning briefly sounded". He added that he added power and saw tree branches off the right wing. The airplane struck the trees on the north side of the runway, descended in a clockwise spin, and impacted the ground.

The fuselage and both wings sustained substantial damage.

The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# GAA17CA241