Grumman AA-5A accident near Thomson, Georgia, November 22, 1987
On November 22, 1987 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Grumman AA-5A, registered N7109L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Thomson, Georgia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 22, 1987 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Thomson, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman AA-5A
- Registration
- N7109L · registry record · serial AA5-0409
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE STRUCK HIGH-TENSION POWER LINES WHILE MANEUVERING AT ABOUT 100 FT AGL. THE COLLISION OCCURRED ABOUT 2/10 OF A MILE FROM THE RESIDENCE OF THE PLT'S GIRLFRIEND. ONE OF THE WIRES FELL TO THE GROUND, DAMAGING AN AUTO AND SETTING A FIELD ON FIRE. THE AIRPLANE RETURNED TO THE LOCAL ARPT IT HAD DEPARTED FROM EARLIER, AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE VERTICAL STABILIZER AND ONE OF THE WINGS.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 196 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 104 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,950 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 28, 1987; 59 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 48J Thomson GA at 7:25 pm
- Destination: 20GA Villa Rica GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL88LA041.