Grumman AA-5A accident near Monona, Iowa, February 21, 1982
On February 21, 1982 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Grumman AA-5A, registered N9958U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Monona, Iowa (Monona Municipal 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
- February 21, 1982 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Monona, Iowa · Monona Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman AA-5A
- Registration
- N9958U · no longer on the register · serial AA5A0358
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT TAXIED TO THE SOUTH END OF THE RUNWAY TO DEPART WITH THREE PASSENGERS. HE BEGAN A SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF ROLL ON A SOFT, WET RUNWAY WITH 10 DEGREES OF FLAPS. THE NOSE WHEEL WAS LIFTED OFF EARLY. IT WAS HELD OFF AS THE PLANE ACCELERATED. THE PILOT REPORTED REACHING AN AIRSPEED THAT WAS NOT HIGH ENOUGH. THE PLANE LIFTED OFF, BUT SETTLED BACK TO THE GROUND. THE PILOT INITIATED AN ABORT BY REDUCING THE POWER TO IDLE AND APPLYING BRAKES. THE PLANE RAN OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY, WENT THROUGH A DITCH, AND CAME TO REST ON A ROAD. THE NOSE AND RIGHT MAIN GEAR SEPARATED. THE PROPELLER, LOWER COWLING, AND RIGHT WING WERE DAMAGED.
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: 92 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 51 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,129 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 69 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7C3 Monona IA at 4:00 pm
- Destination: Winona MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,000 ft by 120 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N9958U the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.