Grumman AA-5 accident near Port Orchard, Washington, April 30, 1990
On April 30, 1990 at about 9:40 pm local time, a Grumman AA-5, registered N7127L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Port Orchard, Washington (Port Orchard 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
IMPROPER MAINTENANCE, AND THE INSTALLATION OF AN IMPROPER CARBURETOR. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PRESENCE OF TREES AND STUMPS IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 30, 1990 · about 9:40 pm local time
- Place
- Port Orchard, Washington · Port Orchard · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman AA-5
- Registration
- N7127L · no longer on the register · serial AA5-0427
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER ARRIVAL, THE PLT DECIDED TO MAKE A LOW APCH OVER THE ARPT TO CHECK THE RWY. AS HE INITIATED A GO-AROUND AT ABOUT 100 TO 200 FT AGL, THE ENG RAN ROUGH & WOULD NOT DEVELOP SUFFICIENT POWER TO SUSTAIN FLT. AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS MADE ON A 'LOGGED-OUT AREA.' DURING THE LANDING, THE ACFT HIT SMALL TREES & STUMPS, & WAS DAMAGED. AN INVESTIGATIONREVEALED THAT THE WRONG TYPE OF CARBURETOR WAS INSTALLED ON THE ENG & THAT THE CARBURETOR FLOAT WOULD 'HANG UP' INTERMITTENTLY.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,000 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 7,000 as pilot in command; 3,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,739 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 26, 1990; 76 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: OLM Olympia WA at 9:07 pm
- Destination: OS8 Port Orchard WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,600 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:14 pm from PWT, 5 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.
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.