On October 6, 1985, a Grumman AA-5A (registration N26207) was involved in an aviation accident near Sawyer, ND. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot allowed the airspeed to decay to the point of activating the stall warning, then corrected by lowering the nose resulting in a high descent rate, then initiated an excessive nose-high flare causing the aircraft to stall 10-15 feet above the runway,… This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
Pilot allowed airspeed to decay on final approach, activating stall warning. He lowered the nose, causing high descent rate, then applied excessive nose-high flare, stalling the aircraft 10-15 ft above runway. The aircraft impacted nose-low, bounced 50-60 ft, crossed a dirt road, and collided with a hay bale.
Event Description
The pilot allowed the airspeed to decay during the final approach until the aircraft's stall warning system activated. This occurred at an altitude of approximately 100 feet above the ground and 200 feet from the runway threshold. In response to the low airspeed, the pilot lowered the aircraft's nose, which resulted in a high rate of descent. To compensate for the high descent rate, the pilot initiated an excessively nose-high landing flare. This caused the aircraft to stall when it was 10 to 15 feet above the runway surface. The pilot continued the landing without taking corrective action. The aircraft subsequently impacted the runway in a nose-low attitude, then bounced to an estimated height of 50 to 60 feet. After the bounce, the aircraft crossed a dirt road and came to rest in a field after colliding with a large hay bale.
Probable cause
The pilot allowed the airspeed to decay to the point of activating the stall warning, then corrected by lowering the nose resulting in a high descent rate, then initiated an excessive nose-high flare causing the aircraft to stall 10-15 feet above the runway, and continued the landing with no corrective action.
What happened in the 6 Oct 1985 Grumman AA-5A accident near Sawyer, ND?
Pilot allowed airspeed to decay on final approach, activating stall warning. He lowered the nose, causing high descent rate, then applied excessive nose-high flare, stalling the aircraft 10-15 ft above runway. The aircraft impacted nose-low, bounced 50-60 ft, crossed a dirt road, and collided with a hay bale.
What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?
The accident on 6 Oct 1985 involved a Grumman AA-5A, registration N26207, at Sawyer, ND.
What was the probable cause of the accident?
The pilot allowed the airspeed to decay to the point of activating the stall warning, then corrected by lowering the nose resulting in a high descent rate, then initiated an excessive nose-high flare causing the aircraft to stall 10-15 feet above the runway, and continued the landing with no corrective action.
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