Accident Overview
On September 21, 2014, at approximately 1205 eastern daylight time, a Grumman American AA-5A (registration N26676) operated by a private individual was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Homosassa, Florida. The private pilot was uninjured, and a pilot-rated passenger incurred minor injuries. The flight was conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 for personal purposes, with visual meteorological conditions prevailing.
Flight Details
The flight departed South Lakeland Airport (X49) in Lakeland, Florida, around 1130, with a planned destination of Harris County Airport (PIM) in Pine Mountain, Georgia. No flight plan was filed. The pilot reported that during cruise flight at about 1,500 feet above ground level, the engine began to run rough intermittently. The power loss became more consistent, and the pilot was unable to maintain altitude. He attempted to divert to a nearby airport while the pilot-rated passenger tried to restore engine power; however, the airport was 5 miles away, and the airplane could not glide that distance from its altitude.
Forced Landing and Impact
The pilot then attempted a forced landing into a field. During the approach, the pilot-rated passenger took control of the airplane. The airplane collided with powerlines and impacted the field, coming to rest upright. Examination by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed damage to the wing spars.
Aircraft and Engine Examination
The airplane was equipped with a Lycoming O-320 160-horsepower engine. Its most recent annual inspection was completed on January 1, 2014, at which time the airframe had about 1,580 total hours and the engine had 29 hours since major overhaul. The airplane had flown about 2 additional hours from the inspection to the accident flight.
The FAA inspector was able to rotate the propeller and verify camshaft, crankshaft, and valve train continuity. Thumb compression was attained on all cylinders, and the magnetos produced spark at all leads. Fuel was observed in both fuel pumps and the carburetor, with no blockages in the carburetor venturi. Approximately 25 gallons of fuel remained at the accident site.
Pilot Actions and Environmental Conditions
When interviewed, the pilot reported that he momentarily applied carburetor heat when the engine began to run rough but turned it off after a few seconds because he did not observe any improvement. Review of an FAA Carburetor Icing chart for the temperature (70°F) and dew point (68°F) at the time indicated "Serious Icing (glide power)"; however, the engine was at cruise power when the power loss occurred.