Grumman AA-5 accident near Rimrock, Arizona, June 19, 1987
On June 19, 1987, a Grumman AA-5, registered N5438L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rimrock, Arizona (Rimrock airport). It was a personal 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).
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
- June 19, 1987
- Place
- Rimrock, Arizona · Rimrock · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman AA-5
- Registration
- N5438L · no longer on the register · serial 0338
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT OVERRAN THE RUNWAY WHILE ON A PERSONAL VFR CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED A GO-AROUND AFTER A POOR APPROACH AND THAT THE TERRAIN OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY ROSE FASTER THAN THE AIRCRAFT COULD CLIMB. A WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT TOUCH DOWN ON THE LAST 400 FEET OF THE RUNWAY AND THEN ROLL OFF THE DEPARTURE END. DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS 6,700 FEET MSL AND WINDS WERE REPORTED AS 230 DEGREES AT 20 KNOTS.
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: 1,950 hours in all; 171 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1,950 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,725 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 18, 1987; 30 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: LHV Lake Havasu Cty AZ at 8:30 pm
- Destination: E76
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 2,184 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.