Grumman American Avn. CORP. AA-5B accident near Zolfo Springs, Florida, April 23, 2025
On April 23, 2025 at about 2:00 pm local time, a 1977 Grumman American Avn. CORP. AA-5B, registered N28311, was destroyed in an accident during takeoff near Zolfo Springs, Florida (Bald Eagle Airfield- Myakka He). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during the takeoff. Contributing was the flight instructor’s lack of remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 23, 2025 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Zolfo Springs, Florida · Bald Eagle Airfield- Myakka He · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman American Avn. CORP. AA-5B, built 1977 · all AA-5Bs on the register
- Registration
- N28311 · no longer on the register · serial AA5B0555
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot, flight instructor, and the passenger onboard the airplane were attempting to depart from a 3,400-ft-long turf runway. The pilot reported that as the airplane began to lift off from the runway, and he attempted to “ease the nose down” to stay in ground effect and gain airspeed. He attempted to correct a left yaw by applying right rudder and lowering the nose, but the airplane became uncontrollable. The airplane departed the runway, impacted trees, and a post-crash fire ensued that destroyed the airplane. A witness also observed the takeoff and described that as the airplane was taking off, the engine was at full power but it lifted off the runway too soon. Due to the airplane’s low speed, it descended and bounced. When the airplane contacted the ground again, the left with struck the ground and the airplane pivoted to the left, departed the runway, and went into a ditch where it came to rest.
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
- Loss of control in flight during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Instructor/check pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,550 hours in all; 28.4 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 4,482 as pilot in command; 4,260 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 11, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 249.4 hours in all; 28.4 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 15.8 in the last 30 days; 179.6 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 8, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,494.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 5, 2024; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4K (piston); 3,575 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: SGJ St. Augustine FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,400 ft by 130 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 am from SRQ, 24 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KSRQ 231453Z 13007KT 10SM CLR 27/17 A3012 RMK AO2 SLP198 T02720172 50007=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N28311 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 ERA25LA184.