Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Beachwood, Ohio 44122
Tuesady, September 11, 1990 15:20 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE ENGINE FAILED AFTER ABOUT 20 MINUTES OF FLIGHT, AS THE AIRCRAFT APPROACHED THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. DURING THE RESULTANT FORCED LANDING ON A FOUR LANE HIGHWAY, THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE GROUND AND A MOVING AUTOMOBILE. THE AIRPLANE SKIDDED ACROSS THE ROADWAY, INTO A GUARDRAIL AND FLIPPED AROUND BEFORE IT CAME TO A REST. POST-IMPACT FIRE DESTROYED THE AIRPLANE AFT OF THE FIREWALL. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING THE AIRPLANE'S FIRST FLIGHT AFTER ENGINE OVERHAUL. ENGINE TEARDOWN REVEALED MASSIVE INTERNAL DISINTEGRATION. THE OVERHAUL WAS NOT PERFORMED BY A QUALIFIED PERSON AND WAS NOT PERFORMED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MANUFACTURER'S INSTRUCTIONS/GUIDANCE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO AN IMPROPER ENGINE OVERHAUL PERFORMED BY UNQUALIFIED PERSONS. THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN WAS A FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/11/1990
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1520
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City BEACHWOOD
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 44122
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 1751 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 70
Weather Observation Facility ID CGF
Elevation of weather observation facility 79
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 20000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 3
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 2626
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1090
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 11 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1520
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42310
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:22PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N74242
NTSB Number NYC90DEI02
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name GRUMMAN
Aircraft Model AA5B
Aircraft Series Identifier AA5B
Aircraft Serial Number AA5B-0171
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name NEW ENGLAND AVIATION, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address RD 4 BOX 684
Aircraft Owner City MIDDLEBURY
Aircraft Owner State VT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GARY A. AUDET
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RR#2 POB 1710
Operator City MIDDLEBURY
Operator State VT
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 39332
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 29G
Departure City RAVENNA
Departure State OH
Departure Country
Departure Time 1500
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CGF
Destination City RICHMOND
Destination State OH
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --