Grumman American Aviation AA-5A accident near Beaumont, Texas, April 11, 2008
On April 11, 2008 at about 3:17 pm local time, a Grumman American Aviation AA-5A, registered N9764U, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Beaumont, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inability to maintain aircraft control in cruise flight and encounter with a thunderstorm. Contributing to the accident was an inadvertent stall/spin.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 11, 2008 · about 3:17 pm local time
- Place
- Beaumont, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman American Aviation AA-5A
- Registration
- N9764U · registry record · serial AA5A-0164
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, while in cruise flight at 7,000 feet in instrument meteorological conditions, he encountered embedded thunderstorms and up and down drafts. Multiple unusual attitudes were encountered and engine power was lost. Shortly thereafter, the airplane entered a flat spin, from which the pilot was unable to recover. The airplane impacted a field in a flat attitude, resulting in substantial damage. An examination of the airplane's systems and an engine run revealed no anomalies. Satellite and radar data depicted embedded towering cumulus clouds and rain shower activity in the accident area.
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
What happened, in order
- Other weather encounter during enroute (cruise)
- Loss of control in flight during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Convective weather › Thunderstorm › Not specified
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Windshear › Not specified
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 377 hours in all; 79 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 337 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,147.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2007; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O320-E2G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DWH Houston TX at 2:45 pm
- Destination: HBG Hattiesburg MS
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 70,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from KBPT, 28 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.