Grumman American Avn. CORP. AA-5A accident near Cleveland, Georgia, September 15, 2011
On September 15, 2011 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Grumman American Avn. CORP. AA-5A, registered N9982U, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Cleveland, Georgia (Mountain Airpark 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 poor decision to land with a tailwind, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 15, 2011 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Cleveland, Georgia · Mountain Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman American Avn. CORP. AA-5A · all AA-5As on the register
- Registration
- N9982U · no longer on the register · serial AA5A0382
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was landing on a turf runway with a tailwind gusting to 15 knots. During the landing, the pilot could not slow the airplane before it departed the end of the runway and impacted a fence, resulting in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane.
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
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Decision related to condition
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 520 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 365 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 19, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,380 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 18A Canon GA at 5:45 pm
- Destination: 0GE5 Cleveland GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 2,500 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 9 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; scat at 4,200 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 6:15 pm from WDR, 35 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.