Grumman American Avn. CORP. AA 5 accident near West Point, Virginia, December 2, 2015
On December 2, 2015 at about 2:35 am local time, a 1977 Grumman American Avn. CORP. AA 5, registered N28295, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Point, Virginia (Middle Peninsula Rgnl 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to fly a traffic pattern following an aborted instrument landing in night instrument metrological conditions, which resulted in a loss of visual reference to the runway, an inadvertent aerodynamic stall, and a collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 2, 2015 · about 2:35 am local time · cases in 2015
- Place
- West Point, Virginia · Middle Peninsula Rgnl · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Grumman American Avn. CORP. AA 5 B, built 1977 · all AA 5s on the register
- Registration
- N28295 · no longer on the register · serial AA5B0533
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during a flight under night instrument flight rules, he exited instrument metrological conditions (IMC) "400 feet high and fast" during the instrument approach. The pilot continued the landing and reported that he touched down more than half way down the wet runway, and then decided to abort the landing. Instead of performing the published missed approach procedure, the pilot turned left and entered the traffic pattern. During the left base, the pilot reported that he reentered IMC, heard the stall warning horn, and felt buffeting. During the inadvertent aerodynamic stall, the pilot added power but continued the descent to land. The pilot reported that he regained visual reference to the runway lights on final approach and realized he was too low. As he attempted to add full power to go-around, the airplane impacted terrain about 1,300 feet west of the runway in a left wing down attitude. The vertical stabilizer, fuselage, and both wings sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Approach-circling (IFR) Loss of visual reference
- Approach-circling (IFR) Stall warn/stick-shaker/pusher
- Approach-circling (IFR) Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Approach-circling (IFR) Attempted remediation/recovery
- Approach-circling (IFR) Loss of control in flight defining event
- Approach-circling (IFR) Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Capability exceeded
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Effect on personnel
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Low ceiling › Compliance w/ procedure
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Effect on personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 856 hours in all; 662 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 761 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 22, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,291.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 14, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4K (piston); 284 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FME Fort Meade(Odenton) MD at 1:15 am
- Destination: JGG Williamsburg VA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 10, 5,007 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 700 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 2:35 am from KFYJ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on March 7, 2016. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Site and Airport Map | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N28295: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Grumman American Avn. Corp. AA-5 Traveler, Cheetah and Tiger 1,286 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4K 44 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Middle Peninsula Regional · nearest airport
- Fort Meade Executive · departed from
- Waltrip Williamsburg Executive Airport · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in Virginia 1,361 since 1982 · 228 in the last ten years
- Virginia 5,972 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/GAA16CA066.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.