Grumman AMERICAN AA-1C accident near Tea, South Dakota, August 20, 1983
On August 20, 1983 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Grumman AMERICAN AA-1C, registered N9634U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tea, South Dakota (Great Planes airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 20, 1983 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Tea, South Dakota · Great Planes · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman AMERICAN AA-1C AMERICAN A
- Registration
- N9634U · registry record · serial AA-1C-0079
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT SWERVED OFF THE RWY, COLLIDED WITH A DITCH AND NOSED OVER. THE PILOT WAS A STUDENT ON HIS 1ST SOLO AFTER OVER 42 HOURS OF DUAL INSTRUCTION. HE FLEW OVER 28 HOURS OF DUAL INSTRUCTION AND MADE ABOUT 60 LANDINGS DURING THE LAST 90 DAYS. ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT THE STUDENT WAS USING RWY 16. THE WIND WAS FROM 140 DEGREES AT 4 TO 6 KTS. THIS EQUATES TO A CROSSWIND COMPONENT FROM THE LEFT OF 2 KTS. THE CFI OBSERVED THE STUDENTS FIRST SOLO LANDING. HE SAID THE ACFT DRIFTED OFF TO THE LEFT DURING THE FLARE. THE ACFT BOUNCED ON THE GRASS BESIDE THE RWY, WENT INTO A DITCH AND BOUNCED BACK INTO THE AIR WHEN IT HIT THE OPPOSITE EMBANKMENT. THEN THE ACFT LANDED ON ITS NOSE AND NOSED OVER. THE PILOT SAID HE TRIED TO CORRECT BACK TO THE RWY DURING FLARE BUT THE ACFT 'STARTED TO GO SIDEWAYS'. WHEN HE SAW THE GRASSTHE STUDENT ADDED POWER TO GO-AROUND BUT THE STALL WARNING SOUNDED AND HE PULLED THE POWER OFF BEFORE HITTING THE DITCH.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 45 hours in all; 42 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,854 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 22, 1983; 65 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (M) (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 2,500 ft by 45 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
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.