Amateur-built AA-5A accident near Elbert, Colorado, January 17, 1988
On January 17, 1988 at about 2:30 am local time, a amateur-built AA-5A, registered N9937U, was destroyed in an accident near Elbert, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- January 17, 1988 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Elbert, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AA-5A
- Registration
- N9937U · no longer on the register · serial AA-5A-0337
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH SLIGHTLY RISING TERRAIN WITH THE RT WING SLIGHTLY DOWN AND THE NOSE ATTITUDE LEVEL. FOLLOWING THE FIRST CONTACT, THE ACFT SKIPPED ABOUT 90 FT AND THE 2ND IMPACT WAS IN A MORE PRONOUNCED RT WING LOW AND NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE CANOPY WAS EJECTED AND FOUND 20 FT RT AND 30 FT FWD OF THE 2ND IMPACT POINT. THE ACFT DISINTEGRATED FROM THE 2ND IMPACT POINT ALONG A 480 FT PATH WHICH WAS 147 FT WIDE. THE FRONT SEAT OCCUPANTS WERE STILL STRAPPED IN THEIR SEATS. THE REAR SEAT OCCUPANT WAS NOT STRAPPED IN AND WAS EJECTED 110 FT FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE. THE ACFT WAS ENROUTE FROM RAPID CITY, SD TO COLORADO SPRINGS, CO. THE CRASH SITE WAS 3 MILES WEST OF ELBERT, CO. AT AN ELEVATION OF APPRX 7100 FT MSL. A WITNESS AT ELBERT, CO. SAID AT THE TIME OF THE ACC THE CLOUDS WERE 'ON THE GROUND' AND VISIBILITY WAS 'VERY POOR.' WX IN COLORADO SPRINGS WAS 100 OVERCAST 3/4 MILE VISIBILITY IN SNOW. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE PLT CHECKED THE WX. ACFT HEADING AT IMPACT WAS AWAY FROM A HEADING TO THE FLTS DESTINATION.
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: 266 hours in all; 98 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 213 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,167 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 22, 1987; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2G (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Peterson Aero Club
The flight
- Departed from: RAP Rapid City SD at 11:39 pm
- Destination: COS Colo. Springs CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 130° at 11 knots
- Sky: overcast at 100 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:00 am from COS, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.