Amateur-built AA-1A YANKEE accident near Cloudcroft, New Mexico, December 23, 1985
On December 23, 1985 at about 7:20 pm local time, a amateur-built AA-1A YANKEE, registered N9201L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cloudcroft, New Mexico. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- December 23, 1985 · about 7:20 pm local time
- Place
- Cloudcroft, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AA-1A YANKEE AA-1A YANK
- Registration
- N9201L · no longer on the register · serial AA1A-0101
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT HE WAS FOLLOWING A HIGHWAY FROM ALAMOGORDO, NM TO ROSWELL, NM. THE PLT CONTINUED TO STATE THAT THE HIGHWAY LEAD HIM INTO AN AREA OF HIGH TERRAIN THAT HIS ACFT COULD NOT CLIMB OVER. THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO TURN AROUND AND EXECUTED AN EMERG LANDING INTO TREES. THE PLT INDICATED THAT THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH ACFT.
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: 384 hours in all; 318 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 350 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,084 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ALM Alamogordo NM at 6:55 pm
- Destination: CVN Clovis NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.