Amateur-built AA-5B accident near Salisbury, North Carolina, January 19, 1997
On January 19, 1997 at about 9:30 pm local time, a amateur-built AA-5B, registered N81307, was destroyed in an accident near Salisbury, North Carolina (Rowan County airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
continued operation of the aircraft by the flight instructor (CFI) and student after identifying a brake problem, which resulted in a fire that erupted from the brake system and subsequently destroyed the aircraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 19, 1997 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Salisbury, North Carolina · Rowan County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AA-5B
- Registration
- N81307 · no longer on the register · serial AA5B0490
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During taxi back for takeoff after landing, the aircraft was pulling to the left, and the student pilot believed the left brake was sticking. The flight instructor (CFI) took control of the aircraft. He stopped, got out, and checked the tires, which he found properly inflated. The CFI then taxied up and down the taxiway several times. The CFI and student then elected to fly the aircraft back to the departure airport, since a mechanic was not available at their location. Before starting their takeoff, they observed smoke coming from the left main gear. After shutting down the engine and exiting the aircraft, they found the left main gear was on fire. The fire spread and destroyed the aircraft. Postcrash examination of the left main gear brake pads and disk showed the pads were worn past the point of the pad retaining rivets. A piece of pad had broken off, and the disk had deep grooves cut into it. The wheel bearings showed no evidence of failure.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,770 hours in all; 300 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,007 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 19, 1996; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4K (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 3N8 Concord NC at 8:45 pm
- Destination: RUQ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:51 pm from CLT, 35 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.