Amateur-built AA1C accident near Boone, North Carolina, September 4, 2004
On September 4, 2004 at about 8:00 pm local time, a amateur-built AA1C, registered N137Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Boone, North Carolina (Boone Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's selection of the wrong runway, and his misjudgment of the distance and speed during the approach to land, which resulted in the overrun of the runway surface and subsequent collision with trees. A factor was tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 4, 2004 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Boone, North Carolina · Boone Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AA1C
- Registration
- N137Y · registry record · serial AA1C0137
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he over flew the Boone Airport at a low altitude and observed that the windsock was stationary and that the runway surface was in good condition. The pilot stated that he flew a traffic pattern for runway 31. He stated that he slowed the airplane to 70 knots and fully extended the flaps. The pilot stated that he landed the airplane "close to the touchdown zone." He stated that he "applied brakes rapidly which loaded pressure to front strut torsion bar [which] responded by springing airplane back into air." The pilot stated that roll out was "successful, but damaged wingtip in underbrush at end of field" while completing a 90-degree turn at the end of the runway. No anomalies with the airplane were reported of the airplane. A witness in the area observed the airplane make three landing attempts prior the accident. He stated that on the accident landing, he observed the airplane "fishtailing" on the runway prior to departing the runway surface. He further stated that the airplane was landing downwind on runway 31. Post accident examination of the airplane revealed that the left wing spar and several outboard ribs on the left wing were damaged. The nearest weather reporting facility in Boone, North Carolina, 3 miles northwest of Boone Airport, reported the winds on September 4, 2004, at 1602, from 130 degrees at 5 knots. The Boone Airport has one runway, designated as 13/31, which is 2100 feet long and 40 feet wide. Runway 31 had a displaced threshold of 500 feet. At the edge of the runway surface of the departure end of runway 31, there is a run-up pad and a 50-foot grass area. Beyond the grass area are trees, 10-20 feet in height.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 500 hours in all; 400 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KRYY Marietta GA at 5:45 pm
- Destination: NC14 Boone NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 2,100 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,100 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.25 inHg
- Observation at 8:02 pm from KTNB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL04CA174.