Amateur-built AA-5A accident near Martinsville, Indiana, February 23, 1988
On February 23, 1988 at about 9:31 pm local time, a amateur-built AA-5A, registered N9958U, was destroyed in an accident near Martinsville, Indiana (Private airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOT TO TAKE INTO CAONSIDERATION THE WIND DIRECTION AND VELOCITY BEFORE SELECTING HIS TAKEOFF DIRECTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 23, 1988 · about 9:31 pm local time
- Place
- Martinsville, Indiana · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AA-5A
- Registration
- N9958U · no longer on the register · serial AA5A-0358
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT BEGAN A DEPARTURE BY TAKING OFF TO THE EAST , DOWNWIND, ON A 2000' UPSLOPING RWY. THE AIRPLANE FAILED TO CLEAR TREES & POWERLINES AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY. IT THEN DESCENDED OUT OF CONTROL & CRASHED, AND WAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT & FIRE. ABOUT 20 MI EAST-NORTHEAST, AT INDIANAPOLIS, THE 1553 EST WIND WAS FROM 310 DEG AT 16 GUSTING 22 KTS. THE PLT'S LAST MEDICAL APPLICATION WAS DATED 10/3/87, BUT A MEDICAL CERTIFICATE WAS DENIED DUE TO A CARDIO-VASCULAR PROBLEM.
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: 1,250 hours in all
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2G (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: I14 Indianapolis IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 2,000 ft by 90 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 16 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,100 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from IND, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N9958U 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.