Amateur-built AA-5 accident near Chesapeake, Ohio, March 13, 2005
On March 13, 2005 at about 8:06 pm local time, a amateur-built AA-5, registered N6511L, was destroyed in an accident near Chesapeake, Ohio (Lawrence County Airpark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during the aborted landing, which resulted in an inadvertent stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 13, 2005 · about 8:06 pm local time
- Place
- Chesapeake, Ohio · Lawrence County Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AA-5
- Registration
- N6511L · no longer on the register · serial AA5-0611
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Witnesses observed the airplane approach to the runway; however, it appeared to be high, and as it passed over the runway, it executed a go-around. The airplane continued around the traffic pattern, and returned to land a second time. The second landing attempt appeared to be fast, and the intended touchdown point was "far down the runway." The pilot then applied power, and the airplane became airborne, with a nose high attitude. The airplane continued in a nose high attitude, and cleared the 30-foot high trees located at the end of the runway. The tail of the airplane then began to wobble, the right wing dropped, and the airplane descended to the ground about 1/4 mile from the airport. A postcrash fire consumed a majority of the main wreckage. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any abnormalities with the airframe or engine.
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: 250 hours in all
- Last flight review: November 1, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: HTW Chesapeake OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 3,001 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,700 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 6:51 pm from HTS, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.