History of Flight
On December 29, 2019, at 1448 eastern standard time, a Grumman American Aviation AA-5A, registration N26455, was destroyed in an accident near College Park Airport (CGS) in College Park, Maryland. The pilot, who was fatally injured, operated the airplane as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
The pilot filed an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan and departed CGS at 1445, destined for Westchester County Airport (HPN) in White Plains, New York. Prior to departure, the pilot contacted Leidos flight service and received a standard weather briefing. While on the ground, the pilot received an instrument departure clearance, instructing him to maintain runway heading until reaching controlled airspace (750 ft mean sea level), then turn to 050° and climb to 2,000 ft.
The airplane departed runway 15, holding a heading between 140° and 150°, and climbed for about 1 mile while tracking slightly right of the extended runway centerline. At about 1,200 ft, the pilot established communication with air traffic control and was instructed to climb to 5,000 ft and turn to a 310° heading once above 1,700 ft. The airplane then entered a right turn and climbed to about 1,900 ft before entering a right spiraling descent. The controller issued a low-altitude alert as the airplane descended through 700 ft. Radar and voice communications were lost at 1447, with the final radar target near the accident site at an altitude of 525 ft and a groundspeed of 153 knots.
Multiple witnesses near the accident site reported hearing engine noise but did not see the accident. One witness described the engine sound as "loud" prior to impact. Another witness, who heard the airplane pass directly overhead, stated that the airplane was not visible due to "serious IFR" weather conditions and that the engine sound was continuous until it "suddenly cut off." Two witnesses reported hearing the engine "sputter."
Personnel Information
No pilot logbooks were recovered. In May 2019, the pilot reported 865 total flight hours to his insurance company. On his application for a second-class medical certificate in August 2019, the pilot reported 2,100 total flight hours.
Meteorological Information
At the time of the accident, instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed, with an overcast ceiling at 500 ft above ground level and cloud tops at about 21,000 ft.
Wreckage Information
The initial impact point was in trees, where multiple branches exhibited angular cuts. Several pieces of angularly cut branches were found along the wreckage path. The main wreckage was scattered over about 50 ft, with the fuselage and empennage largely consumed by fire. Flight control continuity was confirmed through several breaks from all flight control surfaces to the cockpit controls; all breaks displayed features consistent with overload failure.
The main spar was separated from the airframe and fractured into several pieces. The left wing was partially consumed by fire; the left flap and aileron were separated and located along the debris path. The right wing, aileron, and flap were also separated. The rudder remained attached to the empennage, while the vertical stabilizer was separated. The right horizontal stabilizer remained attached, but the left horizontal stabilizer was separated. Both elevators were separated from the empennage.
The fuel selector was found in the "RIGHT" position. The electric fuel pump was separated from its mount and punctured. The engine-driven fuel pump was separated from the engine and not located. Both magnetos were impact-separated from the engine; the left magneto produced spark when rotated by hand, while the right magneto distributor block was fractured and could not be rotated.
The engine was impact-separated and located at the end of the debris path. The crankcase appeared intact. Borescope examination of the cylinders revealed no anomalies on visible portions of the pistons, cylinder walls, or valves. The No. 1 cylinder was displaced aft but remained attached to the crankcase; the crankshaft flange was bowed. The Nos. 1 and 2 cylinders had bent pushrods. The engine would not rotate when actuated by hand through an accessory drive pad.
The rocker box covers were removed; the valve springs and rocker assemblies were intact with no anomalies. Top spark plugs were removed and examined; the electrodes were new to slightly worn and light gray. The No. 1 spark plug ceramic insulator was fractured. Oil was observed in the engine; the oil filter was crushed, and the oil suction screen was absent of debris.
The carburetor was separated from the intake manifold and was impact- and heat-damaged; control cables were not attached to their respective arms. Partial disassembly of the carburetor revealed no damage to internal components.
The propeller and hub were separated from the engine crankshaft consistent with impact damage. One blade was slightly bent aft with no noticeable twist and exhibited leading-edge gouging and chordwise scratches. The other blade was bent aft at mid-span with a slight twist, with chordwise scratches, leading-edge gouging, streaks of missing white paint, and the tip separated by impact.
The directional gyro was disassembled; rotational scoring was present on the spinning gyro and its housing. The vacuum pump was disassembled; the rotor displayed several fractures consistent with impact damage, and the vanes were undamaged.
Medical and Pathological Information
The FAA's Forensic Sciences Laboratory performed toxicology testing on the pilot's tissue samples, identifying diphenhydramine in liver and urine tissue (0.5 mg/kg). Blood was not available for testing. Diphenhydramine is a sedating antihistamine available over the counter under names such as Benadryl and Unisom. It carries a warning that it may impair mental and/or physical ability required for hazardous tasks. However, there is no direct relationship between post-mortem liver levels and antemortem blood levels; these cannot be calculated from the available data.
Additional Information
The FAA's publication "Introduction to Aviation Physiology" defines spatial disorientation as a loss of proper bearings or a state of mental confusion as to position, location, or movement relative to the Earth. Factors contributing to spatial disorientation include changes in acceleration, flight in IMC, frequent transfer between visual and instrument conditions, and unperceived changes in aircraft attitude. The FAA's "Spatial Disorientation: Why You Shouldn't Fly By the Seat of Your Pants" describes the "graveyard spiral" illusion, where a prolonged turn can lead to a false sensation of turning in the opposite direction, potentially resulting in a continuous turn and altitude loss if unrecognized.