American AA-1A accident near Bluffton, Indiana, April 15, 1989
On April 15, 1989 at about 7:40 pm local time, a American AA-1A, registered N9479L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bluffton, Indiana (Miller 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
INADEQUATE AIRSPEED RESULTING IN A STALL/SPIN BY THE PILOT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: A TAILWIND AND WRONG RUNWAY SELECTED BY THE PILOT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 15, 1989 · about 7:40 pm local time
- Place
- Bluffton, Indiana · Miller · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American AA-1A · all AA-1As on the register
- Registration
- N9479L · no longer on the register · serial AA-1A-0279
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING THE PILOT ATTEMPT TO LAND ON RUNWAY 27. THE LANDING WAS ABORTED. DURING THE CLIMB OUT, THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED TO ENTER A STEEP CLIMBING RIGHT TURN. DURING THE TURN, THE AIRPLANE STALLED AND DESCENDED TO IMPACT WITH THE TERRAIN. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT A TAIL WIND EXISTED FOR RUNWAY 27. THE PILOT OF ANOTHER AIRPLANE WHICH WAS ACCOMPANYING N9479L DURING ITS FLIGHT STATED HE INFORMED THE ACCIDENT PILOT OF THE TAILWIND CONDITION.
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: 202 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 138 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,332 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 10, 1988; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,600 ft by 90 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; not recorded at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:30 pm from FWA, 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.