Amateur-built AA-5A accident near Monroe, Michigan, October 30, 1983
On October 30, 1983 at about 10:00 pm local time, a amateur-built AA-5A, registered N27174, was substantially damaged in an accident near Monroe, Michigan (Monroe Custer airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. 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
- October 30, 1983 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Monroe, Michigan · Monroe Custer · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AA-5A
- Registration
- N27174 · registry record
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED HE DEVELOPED A HIGH SINK RATE DURING LANDING WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING. THE PILOT DEPARTED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND ENTERED A DITCH.
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: instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 527 hours in all; 273 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Unknown (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320E2G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DTW Detroit MI
- Destination: D92 Monroe MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 3,500 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from DET
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.