Amateur-built AA-5A accident near New Hudson, Michigan, May 23, 1985
On May 23, 1985 at about 7:30 pm local time, a amateur-built AA-5A, registered N9581U, was destroyed in an accident near New Hudson, Michigan (New Hudson 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 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
- May 23, 1985 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- New Hudson, Michigan · New Hudson · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AA-5A
- Registration
- N9581U · registry record · serial AA-5A-0081
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT INADVERTENTLY ATTEMPTED TO TAKE OFF WITH AT LEAST 21 DEG. OF FLAPS. THE ACFT CLIMBED TO APPROXIMATELY 30-50 8T. AGL AND PASSED OVER A HANGAR ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. ONCE PAST THE HANGAR THE ACFT BEGAN A RAPID DESCENT. POST IMPACT FIRE DESTROYED THE RIGHT WING AND COCKPIT.
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: 139 hours in all; 24 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,187 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 24, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2G (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,150 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:45 pm from PTK, 17 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.