Grumman AA5A accident near Tampa, Florida, November 11, 1988
On November 11, 1988 at about 9:25 pm local time, a Grumman AA5A, registered N9975U, was destroyed in an accident near Tampa, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 2 people were seriously injured. 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
- November 11, 1988 · about 9:25 pm local time
- Place
- Tampa, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman AA5A
- Registration
- N9975U · no longer on the register · serial AA5A0375
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES STATED THE ACFT WAS FLYING AT LOW ALT IN THE AREA OF LAKE THONOTOSASSA JUST BEFORE IT STRUCK THE TOP STATIC WIRE OF A GROUP OF POWER LINES. IMPACT OCCURRED WHILE THE ACFT WAS ON A SOUTHERLY HEADING. THE ACFT THEN CRASHED INTO AN ORANGE GROVE. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRFRAME OR ENGINE. THE WX WAS GOOD WITH A CLEAR SKY CONDITION & 15 MI VISIBILITY.
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: 200 hours in all; 40 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 977 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 21, 1988; 18 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: TPF Tampa FL at 7:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from TPA, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.