Grumman AA-5 accident near Cleveland, Washington, August 10, 1986
On August 10, 1986 at about 3:15 am local time, a Grumman AA-5, registered N5481L, was destroyed in an accident near Cleveland, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was 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
- August 10, 1986 · about 3:15 am local time
- Place
- Cleveland, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman AA-5
- Registration
- N5481L · registry record · serial AA50681
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE LOW TIME PILOT DEPARTED WITH TWO RELATIVES ABOARD FOR A LOCAL FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED FLYING LOW OVER OMAK LAKE AND THEN COMMENCING A CLIMBING LEFT TURN TOWARD HIGHER TERRAIN. DURING THE CLIMBOUT, THE PILOT PERCEIVED A LOSS OF ENGINE PERFORMANCE AND APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT. OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE WAS NEAR 100 DEGREES RESULTING IN A DENSITY ALTITUDE OF NEARLY 6,000 FEET MSL AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS NEAR ITS GROSS WEIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLOWN WINGS LEVEL INTO TERRAIN WHOSE RATE OF UPSLOPE EXCEEDED THE RATE OF CLIMB CAPABILITIES OF THE AIRCRAFT FOR THE GIVEN CONDITIONS OF THE FLIGHT.
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; 15 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 41 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, August 29, 1985; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2G (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Western Wings, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: OMK Omak WA at 3:00 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 350° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; not recorded at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:40 am from OMK, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.
Other NTSB records under N5481L 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.