Amateur-built AA-5B accident near Chatham, Massachusetts, September 5, 1998
On September 5, 1998 at about 4:21 pm local time, a amateur-built AA-5B, registered N28764, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chatham, Massachusetts (Chatham Muni Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the failure of the pilot to maintain airspeed during a go-around and which resulted in an inadvertent stall. Factors in the accident were the pilot's lack of total experience and the gusting crosswinds.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 5, 1998 · about 4:21 pm local time
- Place
- Chatham, Massachusetts · Chatham Muni Airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AA-5B
- Registration
- N28764 · no longer on the register · serial 115B--797
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot performed an approach to runway 24 with gusty crosswinds from the right. The airplane floated and he performed a go-around. The pilot had not retracted the flaps which were set at 2/3. A witness observed the airplane on a go-around and reported that the left wing dropped and the airplane descended into the trees. The pilot had received his private pilot certificated one month prior. His total time was 75 hours. All of his flight training was accomplished in a Cessna 172, and he had 12 hours in the accident airplane, a Grumman American AA-5B.
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: 75 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 40 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,230 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 12, 1997; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CQX at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,001 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 11 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:52 pm from CQX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.