Grumman AA-5 accident near Toledo, Washington, September 5, 1988
On September 5, 1988 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Grumman AA-5, registered N9559L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Toledo, Washington (Toledo-Winlock airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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
- September 5, 1988 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Toledo, Washington · Toledo-Winlock · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman AA-5
- Registration
- N9559L · no longer on the register · serial AA5-00559
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT ABORTED THE FIRST TAKEOFF DUE TO THE ENGINE NOT DEVELOPING FULL POWER. AFTER ANOTHER RUN UP, THE PILOT ELECTED TO MAKE ANOTHER TAKEOFF. THE PILOT ABORTED MIDFIELD, BY RETARDING THE POWER AND APPLYING HEAVY BRAKING, DUE TO THE AIRCRAFT NOT DEVELOPING FULL POWER. THE BRAKE FADED AND AN OVERRUN OCCURRED. DURING THE OVERRUN THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A DITCH AND THEN A BARBED WIRE FENCE. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN ANOTHER DITCH WHERE THE NOSE GEAR SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. NO REASON FOR THE ENGINE NOT DEVELOPING FULL POWER COULD BE DETERMINED. INSPECTION OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM REVEALED EVIDENCE OF OVERTEMPERATURE, EXCESSIVE WEAR, AND DETERIORATED BRAKE SEALS, CONSISTENT WITH OVERHEATING.
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: 49 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 5 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,678 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 19, 1988; 74 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: Toledo WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 4,978 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 1:18 pm
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.