Amateur-built AA-5B accident near Decatur, Indiana, August 13, 1998
On August 13, 1998 at about 4:30 pm local time, a amateur-built AA-5B, registered N74827, was substantially damaged in an accident near Decatur, Indiana (Decatur Hi-Way airport). 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the takeoff and his premature raising of the flaps which resulted in the stall/mush condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 13, 1998 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Decatur, Indiana · Decatur Hi-Way · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AA-5B
- Registration
- N74827 · registry record · serial AA5B0373
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported the airplane lifted off about 1/2 way down the airstrip at 65 knots with 10 degrees of flaps. He reported he attempted to keep the airplane close to the ground to gain airspeed because it felt a 'little mushy.' The pilot removed the flaps hoping to pick up airspeed, but 'things just got worse.' The airplane struck a runway marker along the right side of the runway. It then bounced on the airstrip, crossed over a road, and came to rest in a soybean field.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,200 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 950 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,475 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 20, 1998; 175 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DCR
- Destination: PHN Port Huron MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,509 ft by 140 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:54 pm from FWA, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 CHI98LA311.