Amateur-built AA-5B accident near Sterling, Massachusetts, November 14, 1993
On November 14, 1993 at about 3:30 pm local time, a amateur-built AA-5B, registered N28215, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sterling, Massachusetts (Sterling airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
SEPARATION OF THE NUMBER ONE EXHAUST VALVE DUE TO FATIGUE CRACKING WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. OTHER RELATED FACTORS WERE MISJUDGMENT OF ALTITUDE AND AIRSPEED BY THE PILOT RESULTING IN ON GROUND COLLISION WITH THE TERRAIN AND SUBSEQUENT NOSE OVER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 14, 1993 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Sterling, Massachusetts · Sterling
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AA-5B
- Registration
- N28215 · no longer on the register · serial AA5B-0941
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS AT 2000 FEET MSL WHEN A SEVERE VIBRATION DEVELOPED ON THE AIRPLANE. HE STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS DESCENDING AT 200 FEET PER MINUTE WITH THE THROTTLE FULL FORWARD, AND 1700 RPM ON HIS GAGE. HE STATED THAT THE NEAREST AIRPORT WAS ABOUT 6 MILES AWAY, SO HE RADIOED THE AIRPORT OF HIS SITUATION AND ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN ON THE BASE LEG. HE STATED THAT HE WAS HIGH ON THE APPROACH, BUT HE RECALLED FROM HIS TRAINING THAT IT WAS BETTER TO BE HIGH AND FAST THAN LOW AND SLOW. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT HALF WAY DOWN THE 3100 FOOT LONG RUNWAY AND EXITED INTO A SIX FOOT CULVERT WHERE IT NOSED OVER. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE BY THE FAA REVEALED A LEAK WHEN A COMPRESSION TEST WAS COMPLETED. THE CYLINDER WAS REMOVED AND SENT TO THE NTSB LAB IN WASHINGTON, DC. A METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED THE EXHAUST VALVE SEPARATED AS A RESULT OF FATIGUE CRACKING THAT INITIATED IN THE RADIUS BETWEEN THE STEM AND THE HEAD OF THE VALVE.
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: 348 hours in all; 348 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 302 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 4, 1993; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 6B6 Stow MA at 2:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 3,010 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 11 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 8,500 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:49 pm from ORH, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.