Grumman AA-5B accident near Quartzsite, Arizona, October 30, 1983
On October 30, 1983, a Grumman AA-5B, registered N28221, was substantially damaged in an accident near Quartzsite, Arizona (Quartzsive airport). It was a personal 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 30, 1983
- Place
- Quartzsite, Arizona · Quartzsive · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman AA-5B
- Registration
- N28221 · registry record · serial 0944
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT HAD PLANNED TO LAND AT A PRIVATE ARPT, NORTHEAST OF QUARTIZITE, AZ. AFTER ARRIVING IN THAT AREA, HE SAW WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS THE RWY, BUT WHEN HE DESCENDED FOR A CLOSER LOOK, HE DECIDED THAT IT WAS NOT THE RWY. HE REPORTED THAT HE CLIMBED TO APRX 250 FT & STARTED CIRCLING WHEN THE ENG BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH. HE STATED THAT HE DECIDED TO LAND ON AN ACCESS ROAD BESIDE A FREEWAY. THE PLT STATED THAT DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE ACFT SWERVED TO THE LEFT WHEN HE APPLIED THE BRAKES. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT HIT A TREE & A FENCE. AN EXAM & A FUNCTIONAL TEST OF THE ENG WERE PERFORMED, BUT NO REASON FOR A POWER LOSS WAS FOUND. ALSO, NO PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRFRAME WAS FOUND.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 780 hours in all; 347 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 734 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 15, 1983; 95 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BLH Blythe CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 2,000 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:54 pm from BLH, 24 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.