American AA-1A accident near Medina, Ohio, September 22, 1989
On September 22, 1989 at about 9:45 pm local time, a American AA-1A, registered N9332L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Medina, Ohio (Medina Freedom Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER FLARE AND RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING AND HIS IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION WHICH RESULTED IN A SITUATION FROM WHICH AN OVERRUN OCCURRED. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: THE WEATHER CONDITIONS, FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING, HIS CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER (IMC), AND HIS INADVERTENT ENTRY INTO A PORPOISE DURING THE LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 22, 1989 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Medina, Ohio · Medina Freedom Field
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- American AA-1A · all AA-1As on the register
- Registration
- N9332L · registry record · serial AA1-A-0032
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 321 hours in all; 23 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 281 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,275 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 6, 1989; 26 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: OH21 Norwalk OH at 9:30 pm
- Destination: 1G5
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 3,556 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:23 pm from CLE, 18 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.