Grumman AA-5B accident near Lake Tahoe, California, July 20, 1987
On July 20, 1987 at about 11:47 pm local time, a Grumman AA-5B, registered N28452, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lake Tahoe, California (Lake Tahoe 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
- July 20, 1987 · about 11:47 pm local time
- Place
- Lake Tahoe, California · Lake Tahoe
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman AA-5B
- Registration
- N28452 · no longer on the register · serial AA5B0617
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE TAXIING TO THE RWY, THE PLT STATED THAT THE RIGHT BRAKE FAILED. THE ACFT ROLLED OFF THE TAXIWAY AND COLLIDED WITH A TRANSFORMER. INSPECTION OF THE BRAKE REVEALED THAT THE BRAKE LININGS WERE WORN AND THAT THE PISTON IN THE HYDRAULIC CYLINDER HAD TRAVELED PAST THE O-RING ALLOWING A LOSS OF PRESSURE.
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: 268 hours in all; 147 in this make and model; 76 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 197 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,019 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 4, 1987; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Lake Tahoe CA
- Destination: OAK Oakland CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from TVL
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.
Other NTSB records under N28452 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.