Grumman AA1B accident near Roswell, New Mexico, December 15, 1990
On December 15, 1990 at about 5:11 pm local time, a Grumman AA1B, registered N1638R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Roswell, New Mexico (Roswell Indust. Air Cntr. airport). It was a personal 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
LOW CYLINDER COMPRESSION AND FOULED SPARK PLUG.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 15, 1990 · about 5:11 pm local time
- Place
- Roswell, New Mexico · Roswell Indust. Air Cntr. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman AA1B
- Registration
- N1638R · no longer on the register · serial AA1B0638
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID THAT AFTER TAKEOFF, AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET, THE ENGINE STARTED RUNNING ROUGH. HE SAID THAT ENGINE PERFORMANCE CONTINUED TO DETERIORATE AND HE HAD TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE GROUND HARD AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE COWLING AND THE MAIN LANDING GEAR. SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED ONE CYLINDER HAD FOULED SPARK PLUGS AND ALL CYLINDERS EXCEPT ONE HAD LOW COMPRESSION.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 800 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 760 as pilot in command; 25 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,560 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: ALM Alamogordo NM
- Flight plan: VFR then IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 27°F (-3°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.