Amateur-built AA-5 accident near High Springs, Florida, May 17, 1985
On May 17, 1985 at about 3:00 pm local time, a amateur-built AA-5, registered N9541L, was substantially damaged in an accident near High Springs, Florida (High Springs airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- May 17, 1985 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- High Springs, Florida · High Springs · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AA-5
- Registration
- N9541L · no longer on the register · serial AA-5-0539
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT HE MADE A NORMAL TAKEOFF WITH 2200 RPM, BUT SHORTLY AFTER ROTATION, THE RPM STARTED TO DECREASE & THE ACFT LOST ALTITUDE & LANDED IN THE TOP OF A LARGE OAK TREE. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE CARBURETOR INLET FINGER SCREEN HAD A 75% BLOCKAGE OF UNCURED FUEL TANK SEALANT RESULTING IN A RESTRICTED FUEL FLOW & SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF POWER.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 16,941 hours in all; 208 in this make and model; 71 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: None (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 15, 1985; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,600 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:00 pm from GNV, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.