Amateur-built AA-5A accident near Providence, Kentucky, August 12, 1982
On August 12, 1982 at about 4:30 am local time, a amateur-built AA-5A, registered N9722U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Providence, Kentucky (Providence-Webster County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 12, 1982 · about 4:30 am local time
- Place
- Providence, Kentucky · Providence-Webster County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AA-5A
- Registration
- N9722U · registry record · serial AA5A-0122
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DENSE GROUND FOG DEVELOPED BEFORE THE PLT RETURNED TO LAND. HE MADE TWO APPROACHES & GO-AROUNDS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, & EACH TIME HE HAD TO FLY VERY LOW TO SEE THE RWY LIGHTS. THE PLT STATED THAT DURING THE THIRD APPROACH HE WAS LOOKING FOR THE ARPT & NOT SPENDING ENOUGH TIME LOOKING AT HIS INSTRUMENTS, & INADVERTENTLY TOUCHED DOWN IN A CORN FIELD ABOUT 400 YDS SHORT OF THE RWY. THE PLT ALSO STATED HE HAD NOT FLOWN WITH A CFI DURING THE PAST YEAR.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 211 hours in all; 160 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 145 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 900 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2G (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Clay Machine Works, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 8M9 Providence KY at 9:30 pm
- Destination: 8M9 Providence KY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 3,800 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 158°F (70°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.