Grumman AA-5KB accident near Iowa City, Iowa, June 17, 1999
On June 17, 1999 at about 7:40 pm local time, a Grumman AA-5KB, registered N4531R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Iowa City, Iowa (Iowa Municipal Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot stalled the airplane. Factors included the instructor pilot's inadequate preflight briefing and improper in flight decision.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 17, 1999 · about 7:40 pm local time
- Place
- Iowa City, Iowa · Iowa Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman AA-5KB
- Registration
- N4531R · registry record · serial AA5B-1163
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that as they flew the left downwind for the touch and go on runway 24, the flight instructor 'mentioned an approach which involved a short field, soft field, dead stick over a 50 foot obstacle.' The pilot reported that he attempted to land using the suggested technique. The pilot reported the flight instructor told him when to pull the power to idle and begin the glide. The pilot reported, '... I realized I was too high, so [I] made an 'S' turn to the south and then to the north, descending all the while.' At 50 feet agl the stall warning horn sounded. The pilot applied full power and lowered the nose slightly, but the airplane impacted the soft ground beside the runway in a 'pancake' fashion. The pilot reported the instructor pilot did not brief the landing technique prior to the flight, and the flight instructor did not demonstrate the maneuver in flight.
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: 641 hours in all; 27 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 584 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,100 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 22, 1998; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IOW Washington IA at 7:30 pm
- Destination: IOW
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 4,345 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from IOW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.