American Aviation Corp. (Aac) AA-1 accident near Plainfield, Illinois, July 28, 1986
On July 28, 1986 at about 6:50 pm local time, a American Aviation Corp. (Aac) AA-1, registered N6135L, was destroyed in an accident near Plainfield, Illinois (Clow Int'L 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 28, 1986 · about 6:50 pm local time
- Place
- Plainfield, Illinois · Clow Int'L · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American Aviation Corp. (Aac) AA-1
- Registration
- N6135L · no longer on the register · serial 0335
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES WHO SPOKE WITH PLT OF N6135L PRIOR TO ACCIDENT STATED THAT HE WAS ACTING OUT OF CHARACTER. HE HAD A LOSS OF APPETITE AND HIS COMPLEXION WAS ASHEN GREY. THE PLT STATED THAT HE DID NOT FEEL WELL BEFORE THE FLT. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ACFT TAKEOFF, CLIMB SLIGHTLY, THEN BANK STEEPLY TO THE RIGHT AND CRASH. POST MORTEM EXAM REVEALED EVIDENCE OF 90% OCCLUSION OF LEFT CORONARY ARTERY WHICH RESULTED IN AN ARRYTHMIA OR MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION. THE CARDIAC DISFUNCTION RENDERED THE PLT PHYSICALLY INCAPACITATED.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 4,688 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 93 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,054 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 14, 1985; 112 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: IC5 at 6:48 pm
- Destination: 3HW Blue Island IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,370 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from DPA, 15 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.