Probable cause
The pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing.
NTSB analysis
The pilot reported that he had just bought the airplane and was not familiar with it. While making his first landing he made a steep approach, hit "hard", and bounced. After the second impact the airplane exited the runway and impacted terrain. The impact resulted in a complete separation of the nose gear and substantial damage to the fuselage, the right wing and the elevator. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He also reported that the accident was his fault and would not have happened if he had only first gotten a new aircraft check-out from a flight instructor.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN13CA515 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Aug 25, 2013
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Valparaiso, Indiana
- Nearest airport
- Porter County Regional Airport (VPZ)
- Highest injury
- Minor
- Minor injuries
- 1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Grumman American Avn. Corp. AA-1B
- N-number
- N5538B
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 1974
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.