American Aviation Corp. (Aac) AA-1TW accident near Point Lookout, Missouri, July 1, 1998
On July 1, 1998 at about 6:30 pm local time, a American Aviation Corp. (Aac) AA-1TW, registered N5643L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Point Lookout, Missouri (Clark Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the failure of the tailwheel assembly due to corrosion. A factor associated with the accident was the overload failure of the right main landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 1, 1998 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Point Lookout, Missouri · Clark Airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American Aviation Corp. (Aac) AA-1TW
- Registration
- N5643L · registry record · serial 43
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that during the landing roll the tailwheel began to vibrate. The vibration increased and the airplane made a 'sharp yaw to the left.' After about 30 degrees of turn, the right landing gear attach bracket bolts sheared and the right wing contacted the runway. The airplane then skidded to the right side of the runway and exited the runway tail first. Inspection of the airplane revealed the right arm of the tailwheel had failed approximately 1' from the center of the arm. Corrosion was present on the factured surface.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 26,445 hours in all; 153 in this make and model; 206 in the last 90 days; 54 in the last 30 days; 25,112 as pilot in command; 1,456 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,236 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1998; 28 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: CGI Cape Girardeau MO at 4:45 pm
- Destination: PLK Point Lookout MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 3,539 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:54 pm from SGF, 45 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.