American AA 1 accident near Peyton, Colorado, April 21, 2014
On April 21, 2014 at about 8:22 pm local time, a 1968 American AA 1, registered N481HY, was destroyed in an accident during takeoff near Peyton, Colorado (Meadow Lake airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of directional control during takeoff for reasons that could not be determined due to the extent of fire damage.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 21, 2014 · about 8:22 pm local time
- Place
- Peyton, Colorado · Meadow Lake · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American AA 1 UNDESIGNAT, built 1968 · all AA 1s on the register
- Registration
- N481HY · no longer on the register · serial AA1-0048
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the second takeoff on a maintenance test flight following an annual inspection, the airplane accelerated on the main landing gear with the tail wheel off the ground. The airplane then "aggressively veered left," and the pilot applied full right rudder to correct the path. However, the airplane continued to veer left, exited the runway, impacted runway signs and terrain, and a postcrash fire ensued. The fire precluded examination of the airplane systems.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Record › keeping › Aircraft/maintenance logs › Maintenance personnel
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Record › keeping › Aircraft/maintenance logs › Owner/builder
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,171 hours in all; 137 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 4,821 as pilot in command; 1,088 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 10, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,735 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 2, 2014; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,561 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 8,247 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: FLY Peyton CO at 8:22 pm
- Destination: FLY Peyton CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 6,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 9 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.30 inHg
- Observation at 8:09 pm from FLY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.