American Aviation AA-1A accident near Cleburne, Texas, May 17, 2022
On May 17, 2022 at about 10:51 pm local time, a 1972 American Aviation AA-1A, registered N6409L, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Cleburne, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s decision to operate the airplane after consuming alcohol, which led to an exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, an aerodynamic stall, and a subsequent loss of control at a low altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 17, 2022 · about 10:51 pm local time
- Place
- Cleburne, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American Aviation AA-1A, built 1972 · all AA-1As on the register
- Registration
- N6409L · registry record · serial AA1A-0409
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was returning to his home airport after making three stops to pick up and drop off equipment and a passenger. While the airplane was at low altitude about 5 miles from the student pilot’s home airport, the airplane made a left turn that was followed by a right turn near the airplane’s stall speed. The airplane rapidly descended and impacted a field in a nose-low attitude and with minimal forward momentum. The airplane came to rest upright, with both wings crushed downward and the engine partially separated and forward of the main wreckage. There was no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions were observed during examinations of the engine and airframe. Six empty mini-sized alcohol bottles were found in the airplane’s glove box. In addition, the pilot’s toxicology results showed ethanol concentrations that were about five times the Federal Aviation Administration regulatory limit of 0.04 gm/dL. At such concentrations, the pilot would likely have experienced degradation of judgment and deficits in coordination, psychomotor skills, perception, and attention. The student pilot’s toxicology results indicated that he was drinking alcohol before the time of the accident. The student pilot’s decision to maneuver the airplane at a low altitude while under the influence of alcohol caused the airplane to exceed its critical angle of attack and enter a stall, resulting in a loss of control from which the student pilot could not recover.
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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Unnecessary action › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Physical › Impairment/incapacitation › Alcohol › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 111 hours in all; 91 in this make and model; 10.5 in the last 90 days; 4.5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,782 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 12, 2021; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,530 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-290-D2 SERI (piston); 3,728 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7F7 Clifton TX at 10:34 pm
- Destination: CPT Cleburne TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 16 knots, gusting 27
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.83 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from KCPT, 5 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KCPT 172255Z AUTO 17016G27KT 10SM CLR 33/14 A2983 RMK A01
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN22FA203.