Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Brunswick Golden Isles Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Brunswick, Georgia 31525
Wednesday, December 31, 2008 12:00 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
While landing, the pilot approached the runway in a "crab" and with the right wing down, into the wind. The pilot stated that a "strong gust" of wind pushed the right wing toward the ground as the main gear touched down in a nose-up attitude. The airplane became airborne; the pilot decided to initiate a go-around and applied full power. As the airplane gained altitude, another gust of wind rolled the airplane to the right. The pilot applied full ailerons and rudder authority to level the wings, then realized the airplane was headed towards trees that it would be unable to clear. The pilot then pulled the throttle to idle and flared the airplane into a stall as the airplane descended into the trees. The wind at the time of the accident was 40 degrees right of the airplane's nose at 12 knots, gusting to 20 knots.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during the landing flare. Contributing to the accident were the gusting winds.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/31/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1200 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Brunswick |
| Event State | GEORGIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 31525 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 311531N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0812759W |
| Event Location Airport | Brunswick Golden Isles Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | BQK |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 5 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 26 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1201 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | BQK |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 26 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Indefinite (V V) |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 18 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 4 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 290 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 12 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 20 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.97 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 25000 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern Region C-ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 31 2009 8:12AM |
| User who most recently changed record | muzd |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N7138L |
| NTSB Number | ERA09CA118 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | GRUMMAN AMERICAN AVN. CORP. |
| Aircraft Model | AA-5 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | Traveler |
| Aircraft Serial Number | AA5-0638 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2200 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 | Apr 28 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 4168.8 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | INDUSTRIAL POWER INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 703 WHITFIELD ST |
| Aircraft Owner City | FAYETTEVILLE |
| Aircraft Owner State | NC |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 28306-1617 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | William M Merritt |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 2325 Bayside Drive |
| Operator City | Fayetteville |
| Operator State | NC |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 28306 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | ILM |
| Departure City | Wilmington |
| Departure State | NC |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 835 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | BQK |
| Destination City | Brunswick |
| Destination State | GA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 31 2009 8:12AM |
| User who most recently changed record | muzd |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 25 |
| Runway Length | 8001 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |