No fatalities

25 Aug 2013: GRUMMAN AMERICAN AVN. CORP. AA-1B — C GEORGE BROCKUS — Valparaiso, IN

Valparaiso, IN, United States

On 25 Aug 2013, a GRUMMAN AMERICAN AVN. CORP. AA-1B operated by C GEORGE BROCKUS was involved in an aviation accident near Valparaiso, IN. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's steep approach and hard landing, which caused a bounce and loss of control, as reported by the pilot. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot reported that after purchasing an unfamiliar airplane, he made a steep approach and hard landing, causing a bounce and subsequent impact that resulted in a runway excursion and substantial damage.

Accident Sequence

The pilot of a recently purchased airplane reported that during his first landing in the aircraft, he executed a steep approach and struck the runway hard. The impact caused the airplane to bounce. Following the second impact, the airplane departed the runway and struck terrain.

Aircraft Damage

The accident resulted in a complete separation of the nose gear. Additionally, the fuselage, right wing, and elevator sustained substantial damage.

Pilot's Account

The pilot stated that he was not familiar with the airplane at the time of the accident. He reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot attributed the accident to his own actions, noting that it could have been prevented if he had obtained a new aircraft check-out from a flight instructor beforehand.

Probable cause

The pilot's steep approach and hard landing, which caused a bounce and loss of control, as reported by the pilot.

Contributing factors

Descent/approach/glide path — Not attained/maintainedPilot