What happened
On May 25, 2021, a Gulfstream American AA-5A, registration N26889, was involved in a fatal accident near Crossville, Tennessee. The flight was being conducted as a solo cross-country instructional flight by a student pilot with 44 total hours of flight experience.
The aircraft departed Crossville Memorial Airport (CSV) at approximately 0715 central daylight time, intending to land at Cleveland Regional Jetport (RZR). After climbing to 3,700 ft MSL, the aircraft began a gradual descent. At approximately 0723, the aircraft entered a 450° descending right turn.
At 0726, the pilot contacted his flight instructor via telephone to report that the engine was not producing full power, noting that the RPM had dropped to approximately 1,700 compared to the normal cruise setting of 2,400. During the call, the pilot reported the aircraft had slowed to 70 knots. While the instructor advised an emergency landing in a field, the pilot noted the presence of trees and mountains ahead. Shortly after the call, the instructor heard the sound of an impact.
The aircraft traversed a cultivated field before striking a heavily wooded ridgeline. The accident resulted in 1 fatality.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage at the accident site, which was located at an elevation of approximately 1,800 ft. The aircraft was consumed by a postcrash fire. While the tail section remained largely intact, the engine and instrument panel were destroyed by fire.
Examination of the flight controls established continuity from the control column to the ailerons, rudder, and elevators, though some cable breaks showed features consistent with overload failure. Analysis of the throttle control at the carburetor revealed that the ball-joint end of the throttle control cable had fractured at the carburetor arm. The fracture surfaces were consistent with high-temperature and ductile overstress.
Atmospheric conditions at the time were found to be conducive to serious icing at glide power. The investigation noted that the engine core showed no preimpact anomalies.
Findings
- The engine experienced a partial loss of power due to carburetor ice accumulation.
- The pilot failed to apply carburetor heat following the initial loss of engine power.
- The aircraft descended into terrain due to the loss of power.