NTSB MIA85LA129 — 1985-03-22 · OKEECHOBEE, Florida, United States

Current FAA registration · N5867L

Make / Model: AMERICAN AA-5
Engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines: 4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19720425
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A78F8A

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N5867L Grumman AA-5 None

Factual narrative

WHILE IN CRUISE FLT THE PLT PLACED THE ACFT IN A DIVE TO AVOID WHAT APPEARED TO BE THE LANDING LIGHT OF ANOTHER ACFT. THE LIGHT WAS ACTUALLY A SPACE VEHICLE WHICH HAD JUST BEEN LAUNCHED FROM CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION 60 MILES FROM THE ACFT'S POSITION. DURING THE DIVE THE PLT EXCEEDED THE LIMITATIONS OF THE ACFT CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE ACFT'S TAILSURFACES WHICH BEGAN TO FLUTTER AFTER LEVEL FLT WAS REGAINED. DURING THE FOLLOWING EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FLD, THE ACFT STRUCK A FENCE POST AND NOSED UP, COLLAPSING THE NOSE LANDING GEAR. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1985_MIA85LA129.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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