Grumman AA-5B accident near Clearwater, Florida, January 31, 1988
On January 31, 1988 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Grumman AA-5B, registered N28571, was substantially damaged in an accident near Clearwater, Florida (Clearwater 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
- January 31, 1988 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Clearwater, Florida · Clearwater
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman AA-5B
- Registration
- N28571 · no longer on the register · serial AA5B0687
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT STATED ACFT STALLED DURING LANDING FLARE RESULTING IN A HARD LANDING. AFTER THE HARD LANDING THE ACFT BOUNCED INTO THE AIR AND VEERED TO THE LEFT. BEFORE A GO-AROUND COULD BE COMPLETED THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A DIRT MOUND BETWEEN THE RUNWAY AND TAXIWAY CAUSING SEPARATION OF THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR AND FURTHER LOSS OF CONTROL. THE ACFT THEN COLLIDED WITH BUSHES AND A FENCE COMING TO REST. ARPT AUTHORITIES STATED THE DIRT MOUND STRUCK BY THE AIRCRAFT WAS THERE FOR CONSTRUCTION REASONS AND WAS APPROXIMATELY 70 FEET TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY AND WAS 5 FEET HIGH.
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: 57 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 57 in the last 90 days; 33 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,135 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 26, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from PIE, 6 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.