MIA02LA036 · Grumman American AA-1C

Before takeoff, the main fuel tank of the left wing was topped off and 7 gallons of fuel were added to the main fuel tank of the right wing. The left seat occupant (owner of a Grumman AA5 and a CFI) reported he had never flown the accident make and model airplane before and wanted a pilot familiar with the airplane to fly with him; as such the right seat occupant was pilot-in-command (PIC). The right seat occupant stated that he went along on the flight because the left seat occupant had not flown the airplane in some time, and he assumed the left seat occupant was PIC. Each occupant says the other performed a preflight of the airplane. The left seat occupant reported that both flew the airplane at various times during the flight. The right seat occupant reported he never touched the controls at any time during the flight. The flight departed, proceeded to the practice area where slow flight was performed. The flight then proceeded to the Pompano Beach Airpark Airport where 1 full stop landing was performed. The flight taxied back, departed, and remained in the traffic pattern where 2 touch-and-go (T & G) landings were performed. The left seat occupant stated that at 200 feet during the climbout of the second T & G landing, the engine began to run rough. He looked at the right seat occupant who appeared "frozen", and took the controls. The engine was developing some power and he banked the airplane in an attempt to return to the airport with the recognition that if the engine quit, he would roll the airplane to a wings level and land straight ahead. The next thing he recalls, they had crashed. Two air traffic controllers reported observing the wings rocking during the upwind leg, one reported seeing the airplane in a sharp right turn. Fire rescue from a station immediately adjacent to the airport did not respond; other stations responded. The fire rescue report indicates that the right seat occupant reported the left seat occupant was flying the airplane. Examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction of the fuel vent or supply system. The carburetor heat control was found in the midrange position; however, the airbox was impact damaged. The carburetor heat control cable was separated from the control arm; incorrect securing hardware was noted. Examination of the flight controls revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. The engine was removed from the airplane and placed on a test stand where it was noted to operate normally; no discrepancies were noted during the engine run. Testing of fuel from the source that fueled the airplane revealed no discrepancies.

Verbatim NTSB analysis and probable cause from the NTSB dataset