Accident Grumman AA-1B N9981L, Monday 30 May 1988

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Date:	Monday 30 May 1988
Time:	11:00 LT
Type:	Grumman AA-1B
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	N9981L
MSN:	AA-1B-0261
Engine model:	Lycoming O-235-C2C
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Dover, PA - United States of America
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:
Destination airport:
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
THE PLT RPRTD THAT DRG TAKEOFF, THE ENG LOST POWER AFTER THE ACFT HAD BECOME AIRBORNE & WAS ABOUT 20 FT ABOVE THE RWY. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT CRASHED ABOUT 50 FT FROM THE DEP END OF THE RWY & WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT DRG THE OCCURRENCE, THE TAIL OF THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A SIGN NEAR THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RWY, WHICH WAS LOCATED ABOUT 100 FT BEFORE THE DEP END & EXTENDED 8 FT ABOVE THE GROUND. THE ACFT THEN HIT A STONE FENCE & A TREE BEFORE COMING TO REST. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRFRAME OR ENG WAS FOUND. DRG AN OPNL CHECK, THE ENG RAN NORMALLY.

Probable Cause: LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN RUNWAY ALIGNMENT OBSTRUCTIONS NEAR THE END OF THE RUNWAY (SIGN, STONE FENCE & TREE).

Accident investigation: