American Aviation AA 5 accident near Dunnellon, Florida, August 1, 2020
On August 1, 2020 at about 8:00 pm local time, a 1973 American Aviation AA 5, registered N7192L, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Dunnellon, Florida (Marion County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of improper installation and inspection of the airplane’s fuel system. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s lack of certification and knowledge in aircraft maintenance.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 1, 2020 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Dunnellon, Florida · Marion County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American Aviation AA 5 Undesignat, built 1973
- Registration
- N7192L · registry record · serial AA5-0492
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot, who was not a certified airframe and powerplant mechanic, had recently reassembled the airplane, which had been in storage for 14 years. He told people that he was having problems with the fuel system and had an engine failure on a previous test flight. On the day of the accident, the pilot told his girlfriend that he was going to fly around the airport’s traffic pattern a few times but never returned. The airplane was located the following day about 1 mile west of the airport in heavily wooded terrain. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed the engine-driven fuel pump was heavily corroded, and water was found in the carburetor. Debris was found in the fuel line that connected the auxiliary fuel pump and the engine driven fuel pump. Rubber debris was also noted in the hose, consistent with damage to the rubber hose lining during fitting installation. The auxiliary fuel pump switch was found in the ON position at the accident site, which was consistent with normal takeoff and landing operations. The pilot had purchased 23 gallons of fuel about 1 month and a half before the accident and, according to the tachometer, had flown only 1.55 hours since the last annual inspection. The fuel burn rate for the engine was about 5.2 gallons per hour, thus giving the pilot about 14 gallons or more than 2 hours of fuel on board at the time he departed. A review of maintenance records revealed that the airplane had not had an annual inspection—as required by Federal Aviation Administration regulations—in almost 19 years prior to the accident. The engine had not had an annual inspection for almost 23 years or been overhauled in 23 years prior to the accident. Though the pilot was mechanically inclined, he had no experience maintaining aircraft and was not certified to do so. As a result, critical components that provided fuel to the engine were not properly installed or inspected. This lack of maintenance resulted in operating with water in the carburetor, corrosion on the engine driven fuel pump, and debris in the fuel system which impeded proper fuel flow to the engine and resulted in a loss of engine power while operating at a low altitude in the traffic pattern.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
- Fuel related during maneuvering defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during maneuvering
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel pumps › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Qualification/certification › Owner/builder
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel distribution › Incorrect service/maintenance
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Unauthorized maint/repair › Owner/builder
- Aircraft › Aircraft handling/service › Maintenance/inspections › Scheduled maint checks › Not serviced/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,031.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 18, 2001; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 E2G (piston); 1,922 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: X35 Dunnellon FL
- Destination: X35 Dunnellon FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 7:51 pm from OCF, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 ERA20LA271.