Amateur-built AA-1B accident near Summerville, West Virginia, December 11, 1982
On December 11, 1982 at about 11:00 pm local time, a amateur-built AA-1B, registered N1621R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Summerville, West Virginia. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- December 11, 1982 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Summerville, West Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AA-1B
- Registration
- N1621R · no longer on the register · serial AA1B-0621
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON 12/10/82, THE STUDENT PLT DEPARTED ON A SUPERVISED SOLO X-COUNTRY FROM MOUNDSVILLE, WV TO HUNTINGTON, WV, WHITE SULPHER SPRINGS, WV AND BACK TO MOUNDSVILLE. WX CONDS DETERIORATED DRG THE 1ST 2 LEGS OF THE FLT AND THE STUDENT'S FLT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) TOLD HIM TO WAIT FOR THE WX TO IMPROVE. THE STUDENT OBJECTED, BUT RMND OVR NGT. WHEN THE WX DID NOT IMPROVE THE NEXT DAY, THE STUDENT INSISTED HE COULD NOT REMAIN ANOTHER DAY. THE CFI APPROVED A FLT ACROSS THE NEXT RIDGE TO LEWISBURGH, WV, NOT BEYOND, AND SAID HE WOULD ATMT TO PICK HIM UP IN THE AFTERNOON. AFTER THE STUDENT ARRIVED AT LEWISBURGH, THE WX WORSENED (ICG CONDS) & THE CFI CANCELED HIS FLT TO PICK UP THE STUDENT. THE STUDENT INDCD HE WOULD FIND A PLACE TO STAY OVR NGT & TOLD THE CFI HE WLD CALL IN 1-2 HRS. WHEN THE CFI DID NOT GET A CALL, HE INITIATED A RAMP CHECK, THEN A SEARCH. THE STUDENT'S PLANE WAS FOUND WHERE IT FLEW INTO THE SIDE OF A MTN AT NGT. NO PREIMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTIONS WERE FOUND WITH THE AIRFRAME OR ENG.
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: 23 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 6 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,610 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,560 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mountain State Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: LWB Lewisburg WV at 5:15 pm
- Destination: 74D Moundsville WV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Sky: overcast; not recorded
- Temperature: 86°F (30°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.