Amateur-built AA-5A accident near Orlando, Florida, May 17, 1985
On May 17, 1985 at about 5:30 pm local time, a amateur-built AA-5A, registered N210JA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Orlando, Florida (Orlando West airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- May 17, 1985 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Orlando, Florida · Orlando West · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AA-5A
- Registration
- N210JA · registry record · serial AA5-0882
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT AFTER HE ARRIVED & WAS ON AN APCH TO LAND, HE NOTED 'TAPE' ACROSS THE RWY. HE REMAINED AIRBORNE UNTIL THE ACFT PASSED OVER 'THE TAPED OFF AREA.' HE THEN LANDED THE ACFT ON THE RWY WHICH WAS ROUGH & BUMPY. THE PLT STATED THAT THE ACFT WAS STILL MOVING FAST WHEN IT WAS HALF WAY DOWN THE RWY, SO HE ELECTED TO GO AROUND. AS HE TOOK OFF, THE ACFT CLEARED THE END OF THE RWY, BUT REPORTEDLY, IT 'GOT HIT BY A STRONG GUST FROM THE SIDE' & SUBSEQUENTLY COLLIDED WITH A TREE & CRASHED. ABOUT 10 MI WEST, THE 1250 EDT ORLANDO WIND WAS FROM 260 DEG AT 17 GUSTING 26 KTS.
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: 112 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 105 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 4, 1985; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SRQ Sarasota FL at 4:10 pm
- Destination: X30
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,430 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 17 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; not recorded at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from ORL, 10 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.