Grumman AA-5A accident near Aberdeen, Idaho, April 6, 1986
On April 6, 1986 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Grumman AA-5A, registered N26792, was substantially damaged in an accident near Aberdeen, Idaho (Aberdeen Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 6, 1986 · about 3:45 pm local time · cases in 1986
- Place
- Aberdeen, Idaho · Aberdeen Municipal · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman AA-5A
- Registration
- N26792 · registry record · serial 725
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON RWY 25 WITH A LIGHT X-WIND FORM 040 DEGS AT 5 KTS. THE PLT ALLOWED THE ACFT TO DRIFT TO THE LEFT OF THE NARROW RWY. AS FULL PWR WAS ADDED IN AN ATTEMPT TO GO-AROUND, THE ACFT STRUCK THE GROUND, VEERED LEFT THROUGH A FENCE AND THEN INTO A PLOWED FLD. THE PLT HAD PERFORMED 4 BALKED LANDINGS AT THIS ARPT DURING THE WEEK PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. ANOTHER BALKED LANDING WAS MADE DURING AN ATTEMPTED LANDING JUST PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT LANDING. THE PLT REPORTED MOST OF HIS PRIOR EXPERIENCE WAS AT LARGER ARPTS.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 25 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 4 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 924 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 24, 1985; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PIH Pocatello ID at 3:00 pm
- Destination: U36 Aberdeen ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 3,669 ft by 45 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm from PIH, 14 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N26792 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N26792 on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Grumman 443 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2G 33 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Aberdeen Municipal · nearest airport
- Pocatello Regional · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Idaho 1,535 since 1982 · 288 in the last ten years
- Idaho 4,201 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N26792 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/SEA86LA094.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.