Amateur-built AA-5A accident near Lexington, North Carolina, October 20, 1994
On October 20, 1994 at about 6:17 pm local time, a amateur-built AA-5A, registered N26966, was destroyed in an accident near Lexington, North Carolina (Lexington Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S OPERATION OF THE AIRCRAFT WITH A KNOWN DEFICIENCY (FOREIGN MATERIAL OR PARTICLE IN THE PITOT TUBE), WHICH LED TO A FALSE AIRSPEED INDICATION AND PREMATURE LIFT-OFF OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING TAKEOFF, AND THE PILOT'S IMPROPER REMEDIAL ACTION THAT RESULTED IN A DELAYED ATTEMPT TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 20, 1994 · about 6:17 pm local time
- Place
- Lexington, North Carolina · Lexington Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AA-5A
- Registration
- N26966 · registry record · serial AA5A-0847
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER LIFTOFF, THE AIRCRAFT SLAMMED BACK ONTO THE RUNWAY. HE ATTEMPTED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF, BUT REALIZED THAT THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT RUNWAY REMAINING. HE APPLIED FULL POWER, BUT THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK TREES OFF THE DEPARTURE END AND CRASHED. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HIS AIRSPEED INDICATOR WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY WHEN HE FLEW INTO THE AIRPORT EARLIER IN THE DAY. A TECHNICIAN, WHO LOOKED AT THE PITOT TUBE, ADVISED THE PILOT TO HAVE IT REPAIRED BEFORE FLIGHT, AS THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT APPEARED TO BE LOGGED IN THE TUBE. THE PILOT BELIEVED THAT SINCE HE HAD FLOWN THE AIRCRAFT TO THE AIRPORT WITH THE PROBLEM, HE WOULD BE ABLE TO FLY OUT WITHOUT HAVING IT REPAIRED.
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: 590 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 530 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 500 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 18, 1993; 50 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
The flight
- Destination: SAV Savannah GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 3,300 ft by 65 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:45 pm from INT, 40 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.