Amateur-built AA-5A accident near Greeneville, Tennessee, September 1, 2002
On September 1, 2002 at about 8:50 pm local time, a amateur-built AA-5A, registered N9807U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Greeneville, Tennessee (Greeneville Munipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons and the pilot's decision to continue flight with a known equipment deficiency. Also causal was the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed which resulted in a stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 1, 2002 · about 8:50 pm local time
- Place
- Greeneville, Tennessee · Greeneville Munipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AA-5A
- Registration
- N9807U · no longer on the register · serial AA-5A-0207
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Witnesses reported observing the pilot repeatedly trying to start the engine for several minutes, and stated that after at least 5 minutes the engine started but immediately ceased operating. The witnesses further stated that the pilot then exited the airplane, did something to the engine, and then got back in the airplane and it started. It would not idle normally and required a higher power setting in order for it to remain operating. A witness said that the pilot maintained a high power setting to keep the engine operating, and taxied for takeoff. The witness further stated that he was about 50 to 75 feet away and he could hear the engine "struggling" to operate. During initial climb after takeoff, other witnesses reported hearing the airplane and stated that they heard three loud noises, each sounding like a "backfire", and after the last backfire there was silence. One witness reported looking up and seeing the propeller not rotating, and all witnesses said they saw the airplane enter a turn. They said there was no engine noise, and the airplane glided while turning as if to return to land at the airport, but they last sight of it as it descended below the trees. After the airplane disappeared from sight below the trees the witnesses stated that there was a loud "boom" and they saw smoke billow up in the air. Examination of the accident scene showed that the airplane struck trees and descended, impacting the ground, about 0.5 mile from the center of the airport, north of the departure end of runway 05. The airplane had come apart as it impacted the trees and the ground and a postcrash fire had ensued. The pilot received fatal injuries. Examination of the airframe, the flight controls and the engine did not reveal any pre-accident anomalies.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 694 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: January 7, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 4, 2002
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Textron Lycoming O-320-E2G (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: GCY Greeneville TN at 8:49 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05, 6,302 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,600 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from TRI, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.