American AA-1 accident near Dexter, Michigan, July 1, 1991
On July 1, 1991 at about 11:30 pm local time, a American AA-1, registered N5713L, was destroyed in an accident near Dexter, Michigan (Cackleberry airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S DELAY IN ABORTING THE LANDING. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS HIS EXCESSIVE SPEED ON FINAL APPROACH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 1, 1991 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Dexter, Michigan · Cackleberry · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American AA-1 · all AA-1s on the register
- Registration
- N5713L · no longer on the register · serial AA1-0113
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A PRIVATE PILOT LANDED LONG AND FAST ON A 2085 FOOT SOD STRIP, BOUNCED AND APPLIED POWER TO ABORT THE LANDING. THE AIRPLANE DRAGGED THROUGH CORN AND LOW TREETOPS PAST RUNWAY END, LOSING SPEED. THE AIRPLANE STALLED INTO A HIGHER TREELINE BEYOND.
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: 90 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,696 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,465 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ARB Ann Arbor MI at 11:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 2,085 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:45 pm from ARB, 13 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.
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.