Grumman AA-1 accident near Manitowoc, Wisconsin, July 9, 1983
On July 9, 1983 at about 2:45 am local time, a Grumman AA-1, registered N6214L, was destroyed in an accident near Manitowoc, Wisconsin (Manitowoc airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 1983 · about 2:45 am local time
- Place
- Manitowoc, Wisconsin · Manitowoc
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman AA-1
- Registration
- N6214L · registry record · serial AA1-0414
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT DISAPPEARED FROM RADAR CONTACT WHILE OVER LAKE MICHIGAN. THIS ACFT HAD DEPARTED BALTIMORE MD AT 1142 CDT TO FLYTO MANITOWOC, WI. THE LAST ENROUTE STOP FOR FUEL WAS AT MUSKEGON MI AT 2040 CDT. THE WEATHER WAS VMC BUT THE NIGHT WAS DARK. NO FLT PLAN WAS FILED. THE ACFT IS ASSUMED DESTROYED BECAUSE A PART OF THE ACFT WITH THE DATA PLATE AND SERIAL # AA1-0414 ON IT WAS FOUND ON A REMOTE BEACH OF LAKE MICHIGAN SOUTH OF ARCADIA ON 7/19/83. THE ACFT DEPARTED MUSKEGON AT ABOUT 2110 CDT WITH A FULL LOAD OF FUEL. AT ABOUT 2145 CDT THE PILOT REPORTED BY RADIO THAT HE HAD LOST AN ENGINE CYLINDER AND WAS GOING DOWN. THE EMERGENCY BEACON CODE WAS PICKED UP BY MUSKEGON APPROACH CONTROL AT A POINT ABOUT 55 MILES NORTHWEST OF MUSKEGON. NO ELT SIGNAL WAS HEARD. THE PILOT IS MISSING AND PRESUMED TO BE FATALLY INJURED. THE COASTGUARD SUSPENDED SEARCH AT 1600 CDT ON JULY 10, 1983 PENDING FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,025 hours in all; 30 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Departed from: MKG Muskegon MI
- Destination: MTW Manitowoc WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 290° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 am from MTW
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.
Other NTSB records under N6214L the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.