NEW RIVER, AZ, USA
N9897L
GRUMMAN AMERICAN AA-1B
AFTER ENTERING THE TRAFFIC PATTERN, THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED IN A STEEP DESCENDING TURN FROM DOWNWIND TO FINAL APPROACH. A WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE PILOT KEPT INCREASING THE BANK, WHILE TURNING TO FINAL, AS IF TO KEEP FROM OVERSHOOTING THE FINAL APPROACH COURSE. THE WITNESS DID NOT SEE THE PLANE CRASH, BUT STATED THAT THE NOSE CAME UP, JUST BEFORE HE LOST SIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT. HE REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE SOUNDED NORMAL PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. TRANSVERSE SCRAPE MARKS WERE FOUND ON THE PROPELLER AND ONE BLADE WAS BENT FORWARD. A TEARDOWN OF THE ENGINE WAS MADE, BUT NO PREIMPACT FAILURES WERE EVIDENT.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
Aviation Accidents App
In-Depth Access to Aviation Accident Reports
