Grumman AA-5A accident near Louisville, Kentucky, June 5, 2001
On June 5, 2001 at about 10:08 pm local time, a Grumman AA-5A, registered N9773U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Louisville, Kentucky (Bowman Field). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's failure to maintain directional control after landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 5, 2001 · about 10:08 pm local time
- Place
- Louisville, Kentucky · Bowman Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman AA-5A
- Registration
- N9773U · registry record · serial AA5A-0173
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot/owner and the flight instructor completed a local training flight without incident, and then they returned to their home airport. On final approach, air traffic control asked that they perform a go-around due to traffic on the landing runway. During the subsequent traffic pattern, the pilot surrendered the flight controls to the flight instructor. The instructor performed the approach and landing, but immediately after touchdown, the airplane veered left, departed the runway, crossed a grass apron, and struck railroad ties that bordered a runway under construction. Examination of the wreckage by the FAA revealed no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane, its brakes, or its landing gear. Both the flight instructor and the pilot reported there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane. According to the flight instructor, "The airplane flew very nicely. Always does."
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,862 hours in all; 76 in this make and model; 72 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 2,742 as pilot in command; 2,300 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 28, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 435 hours in all; 316 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 363 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 20, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,833 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 25, 2000; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LOU Louisville KY at 8:10 pm
- Flight plan: VFR then IFR
- Runway 19, 3,700 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 10:17 pm from LOU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.