Grumman AMERICAN AA-1B accident near Tallassee, Alabama, May 20, 1984
On May 20, 1984 at about 6:20 pm local time, a Grumman AMERICAN AA-1B, registered N9907L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tallassee, Alabama. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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
- May 20, 1984 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- Tallassee, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman AMERICAN AA-1B AMERICAN A
- Registration
- N9907L · no longer on the register · serial AA1B-0207
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED HE DEPARTED FULTON COUNTY ARPT WITH APRX 12 GALS OF FUEL ON BOARD. ABOUT 20 MINS LATER, THE LEFT FUEL TANK RAN DRY & THE PLT SELECTED THE RIGHT TANK & CONTINUED THE FLT WITH THE INTENTION OF REFUELING AT EITHER TUSKEGEE ORTALLASSEE. UPON ARRIVAL AT TUSKEGEE, THE PLT FOUND THE ARPT UNATTENDED & NO FUEL WAS AVAILABLE. THE SAME OCCURRED UPON REACHING TALLASSEE. FUEL EXHAUSTION OCCURRED EN ROUTE TO MONTGOMERY & A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE ON THE MEDIAN OF I-85 WHERE THE PLT DRAGGED A WING TIP WHILE AVOIDING TRAFFIC.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,700 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 2,300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,757 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 26, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 1,560 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FTY Atlanta GA at 4:30 pm
- Destination: MGM Montgomery AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:37 pm from MGM, 30 miles away
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.