American AA-1A and Cessna 414A mid-air collision near Statesboro, Georgia, April 28, 1993
On April 28, 1993, 2 aircraft, American AA-1A (N9317L) and Cessna 414A (N47WD), were involved in a mid-air collision near Statesboro, Georgia (Statesboro Municipal airport). 2 people were killed, 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PILOTS OF BOTH AIRCRAFT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: FAILURE OF THE PILOT OF N9317L TO ILLUMINATE HIS AIRCRAFT NAVIGATION LIGHTS, AND IMPROPER RADIO COMMUNICATIONS BY THE PILOT OF N47WD BY SELECTING THE WRONG UNICOM FREQUENCY TO MONITOR AND ANNOUNCE HIS LANDING INTENTIONS AND POSITION.
INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PILOTS OF BOTH AIRCRAFT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: FAILURE OF THE PILOT OF N9317L TO ILLUMINATE HIS AIRCRAFT NAVIGATION LIGHTS, AND IMPROPER RADIO COMMUNICATIONS BY THE PILOT OF N47WD BY SELECTING THE WRONG UNICOM FREQUENCY TO MONITOR AND ANNOUNCE HIS LANDING INTENTIONS AND POSITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 28, 1993
- Place
- Statesboro, Georgia · Statesboro Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed, 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- American AA-1A · all AA-1As on the register
- Registration
- N9317L · no longer on the register · serial 0017
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 414A · all 414As on the register
- Registration
- N47WD · registry record · serial 414A0235
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the American AA-1A final · quoted from the NTSB record
A STUDENT PILOT IN AMERICAN AA-1A, N9317L, WAS ON AN APPROACH TO LAND ON RUNWAY 5 OF THE UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT, AS A COMMERCIAL PILOT IN CESSNA 414A, N47WD, WAS ON AN APPROACH TO LAND ON RUNWAY 14. THE TWO RUNWAYS INTERSECTED NEAR THEIR APPROACH ENDS. THE TWO AIRCRAFT COLLIDED AS THEY WERE ABOUT TO TOUCH DOWN AT DUSK OVER THE INTERSECTION. WITNESSES ON THE GROUND STATED THAT THEY OBSERVED LIGHTS ON THE CESSNA, BUT DID NOT OBSERVE ANY LIGHTS ON THE AMERICAN. WITNESSES IN OTHER AIRCRAFT IN THE AREA STATED THAT THEY HEARD THE PILOT OF THE AMERICAN ANOUNCING HIS POSITION IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AND LANDING INTENTIONS, BUT DID NOT HEAR THE PILOT OF THE CESSNA ON THE UNICOM FREQUENCY. THE PILOT OF THE CESSNA STATED THAT HE ANNOUNCED HIS INTENTION TO LAND ON RUNWAY 14 OVER UNICOM FREQUENCY 123.0. THE PUBLISHED UNICOM FREQUENCY FOR THE STATESBORO AIRPORT WAS 122.8.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 414A final · quoted from the NTSB record
A STUDENT PILOT IN AMERICAN AA-1A, N9317L, WAS ON AN APPROACH TO LAND ON RUNWAY 5 OF THE UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT, AS A COMMERCIAL PILOT IN CESSNA 414A, N47WD, WAS ON AN APPROACH TO LAND ON RUNWAY 14. THE TWO RUNWAYS INTERSECTED NEAR THEIR APPROACH ENDS. THE TWO AIRCRAFT COLLIDED AS THEY WERE ABOUT TO TOUCH DOWN AT DUSK OVER THE INTERSECTION. WITNESSES ON THE GROUND STATED THAT THEY OBSERVED LIGHTS ON THE CESSNA, BUT DID NOT OBSERVE ANY LIGHTS ON THE AMERICAN. WITNESSES IN OTHER AIRCRAFT IN THE AREA STATED THAT THEY HEARD THE PILOT OF THE AMERICAN ANOUNCING HIS POSITION IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AND LANDING INTENTIONS, BUT DID NOT HEAR THE PILOT OF THE CESSNA ON THE UNICOM FREQUENCY. THE PILOT OF THE CESSNA STATED THAT HE ANNOUNCED HIS INTENTION TO LAND ON RUNWAY 14 OVER UNICOM FREQUENCY 123.0. THE PUBLISHED UNICOM FREQUENCY FOR THE STATESBORO AIRPORT WAS 122.8.
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 for the American AA-1A from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 79 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 23, 1992
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TBR at 11:30 pm
- Destination: TBR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 4,381 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 120° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:52 pm from SAV, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Cessna 414A from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,650 hours in all; 35 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 4,650 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 17, 1993
- Maximum gross weight: 6,750 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-NB (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 49J Hilton Head SC at 11:30 pm
- Destination: TBR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.