Grumman AA5B accident near Gallatin, Tennessee, September 30, 1990
On September 30, 1990 at about 7:43 am local time, a Grumman AA5B, registered N81099, was destroyed in an accident near Gallatin, Tennessee. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER ALTITUDE WHICH RESULTED IN THE INADVERTENT DESCENT INTO THE GROUND, AND HIS DIVERTED ATTENTION TO ANOTHER AIRPLANE. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE FOG, DARK NIGHT, FATIGUE FROM LACK OF SLEEP, AND A LACK OF RECENT NIGHT LANDINGS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 30, 1990 · about 7:43 am local time
- Place
- Gallatin, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman AA5B
- Registration
- N81099 · no longer on the register · serial AA5B-0429
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT & PAX HAD RETURNED TO THE HOME FIELD AFTER A LONG WORK DAY THAT BEGAN BEFORE 9 AM. UPON ARRIVAL AT THE AIRPORT FOG HAD COVERED THE NORTH THRESHOLD & THE AREA ADJACENT TO THE RWY FROM THE SW TO THE NE. ANOTHER ACFT WAS ALSO ARRIVING IN THE LANDING PATTERN. THE PILOT MADE 2 ABORTIVE ATTEMPTS TO LAND VISUALLY BECAUSE HE HAD POSITIONED THE ACFT TOO CLOSE TO THE RWY. THE LAST RADAR POSITION OF THE ACFT WAS A LEFT DOWNWIND LEG FOR RWY 17. THE ACFT IMPACTED EAST OF THE FIELD WHILE IN A DESCENDING RIGHT TURN. FOG & LACK OF GROUND LIGHTS TO THE NORTH OF THE AIRPORT WERE REPORTED BY LOCAL WITNESSES. THE PILOT WAS PROBABLY TIRED, & DISTRACTED BY THE ADDITIONAL ACFT.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,150 hours in all; 332 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 2,031 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,501 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 27, 1989; 183 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4K (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: ADH Ada OK at 3:00 am
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 17, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 am from BNA, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.