American AA-1 accident near Sandstone, Minnesota, May 23, 2000
On May 23, 2000 at about 9:30 pm local time, a American AA-1, registered N5712L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sandstone, Minnesota (Sandstone Muni Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot not attaining an airspeed necessary for the go-around and not maintaining clearance from terrain. Factors were the crosswind, gust, and the collapsed nose gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 23, 2000 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Sandstone, Minnesota · Sandstone Muni Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American AA-1 · all AA-1s on the register
- Registration
- N5712L · no longer on the register · serial AA1-0112
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was substantially damaged during an attempted go around and nose over on runway 35. The pilot sustained minor injuries. The pilot stated, 'The landing went well until I touched down and a wind gust ballooned the plane 5 to 10 ft into the air. I added power in an attempt to go around but did not have sufficient airspeed and the plane contacted the runway nose wheel 1st. The front gear collapsed and the prop struck the runway. The plane proceeded another 100 ft or so in a nose low attitude and went off the right side of the runway. After proceeding through some grass the plane flipped over frontwards and stopped inverted.' The pilot further stated, 'I believe, and other pilots have commented, that crosswinds here are unusually gusty because of the trees that border the west side of the runway.' Wind at Mora, Minnesota was 280 degrees at 16 knots gusts to 23 knots.
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: 335 hours in all; 30 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,459 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1999; 99 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HYR Hayward WI at 8:30 pm
- Destination: 57Y
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 2,900 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 16 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 am from JMR, 21 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.