Amateur-built AA-5B accident near Boulder, Colorado, November 20, 1983
On November 20, 1983 at about 10:20 pm local time, a amateur-built AA-5B, registered N28420, was destroyed in an accident near Boulder, Colorado (Boulder airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. 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
- November 20, 1983 · about 10:20 pm local time
- Place
- Boulder, Colorado · Boulder · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AA-5B
- Registration
- N28420 · no longer on the register · serial AA5B0601
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE PLT HAD MADE 3 ATTEMPTS TO LAND & DURING EACH ATTEMPT HE OVERSHOT HIS APPROACH & EXECUTED A GO-AROUND WITHOUT TOUCHING DOWN. ON THE FOURTH ATTEMPT HE DID TOUCH DOWN BUT APPEARED TO BE TOO FAST & THE ACFT SKIPPED & BOUNCED. AFTER PASSING HALFWAY DOWN THE 4,100 FT RWY, THE ACFT BEGAN PORPOISING & THE WINGS WERE ROCKING BACK & FORTH. JUST BEFORE REACHING THE END OF THE RWY, THE ACFT DRIFTED OFF THE RIGHT SIDE STRIKING A RWY LIGHT. THE WITNESSES HEARD THE ENG RPM INCREASE & THEY WATCHED THE ACFT STAGGER OFF THE GROUND UNTIL IT DISAPPEARED BEHIND A STEEP DROP-OFF ABOUT 300 FT FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY. THE ACFT IMPACTED AT THE BOTTOM OF A RAVINE, FLIPPED OVER & IMMEDIATELY CAUGHT FIRE. TEN DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT THE PLT RECEIVED A 1.6-HR CHECK-OUT IN THE ACFT. HE DID NOT FLY AGAIN UNTIL THE ACCIDENT FLT.
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: 77 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 49 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,446 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 28, 1983; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4K (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Castlewood Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: APA Englewood CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 4,100 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 20,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.