Casualties unknown

1999-11-13: Grumman American AA-5B (N4542P) — Fayetteville, WV

Fayetteville, WV, US

On November 13, 1999, a Grumman American AA-5B (registration N4542P) was involved in an aviation accident near Fayetteville, WV. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's decision to continue the landing attempt too far down the runway. A factor was the pilot's self-induced pressure to land the airplane, due to the sickness of the front seat passenger. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 1781061362Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot experienced a bounced landing and subsequent runway excursion after a passenger became ill. The aircraft touched down twice, skidded over a crest, and struck a tree after becoming airborne again.

Accident Sequence

As the airplane approached the airport, a passenger in the right front seat became sick. When the pilot turned the airplane downwind, the passenger became ill again. The pilot executed a normal full-flap approach, but the airplane was slightly fast on final. It touched down twice before reaching an elevated crest in the runway. After the second touchdown, the pilot applied hard braking, and the airplane skidded forward. It then went over the crest, and the pilot realized he could not stop before the runway end. He added full power, and the airplane became airborne. The right wing struck a tree, causing the airplane to swing around 180 degrees before falling to the ground.

Runway Characteristics

The pilot utilized Runway 03 and stated that due to the crest, he could not judge where the end of the runway was. According to the Airport/Facility Directory, there was no line of sight between the runway ends. The runway sloped upward from the departure end until 62 feet before the departure end.

Weather Conditions

Weather recorded at an airport 30 nautical miles to the northwest, 24 minutes after the accident, included winds from 240 degrees magnetic at 3 knots.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001212X20160. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.