Accident American Aviation AA-1 Yankee N5765L, Saturday 4 September 1993

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Date:	Saturday 4 September 1993
Time:	15:55 LT
Type:	American Aviation AA-1 Yankee
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	N5765L
MSN:	AA1-0165
Year of manufacture:	1969
Total airframe hrs:	1571 hours
Engine model:	Lycoming O-235-C2C
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Tuscaloosa, AL - United States of America
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:
Destination airport:	Montgomery, AL
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE RPM BEGAN TO DECAY DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF. UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, HE MANEUVERED THE AIRCRAFT TO A NEARBY FIELD. HE FORCE LANDED THE AIRCRAFT IN HIGH GRASS, THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED, AND THE AIRFRAME RECEIVED STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. AN INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE NUMBER 2 AND 3 CYLINDER SPARK PLUGS WERE FOULED, AND WOULD NOT PRODUCE A SPARK. A COMPRESSION CHECK SHOWED NO COMPRESSION ON THE NUMBERS 1 AND 4 CYLINDERS.

Probable Cause: FOULED SPARK PLUGS ON THE NUMBER 2 AND 3 CYLINDERS, AND A LACK OF COMPRESSION ON THE NUMBER 1 AND 4 CYLINDERS, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. A FACTOR WAS THE HIGH VEGETATION AT THE FORCED LANDING SITE.

Accident investigation: