Grumman American Avn. CORP. AA-1B accident near Lawrence, Massachusetts, May 31, 2012
On May 31, 2012 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Grumman American Avn. CORP. AA-1B, registered N1608R, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff (rejected takeoff) near Lawrence, Massachusetts (Lawrence Municipal 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
The pilot's delayed decision to abort the takeoff, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 31, 2012 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lawrence, Massachusetts · Lawrence Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman American Avn. CORP. AA-1B · all AA-1Bs on the register
- Registration
- N1608R · no longer on the register · serial AA1B-0608
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After flying for about 40 minutes without incident, the pilot returned to the departure airport to practice touch-and-go landings and takeoffs. The pilot stated that she landed on the 3,900-foot-long runway as she normally did for a full-stop landing. She retracted the flaps, adjusted the trim, and advanced the throttle. As the airplane lifted off the ground, the pilot became concerned that it was too far down the runway and too close to the ground to clear trees that were located beyond the departure end of the runway. She elected to abort the takeoff and was not able to stop the airplane on the remaining runway. The airplane departed the end of the runway, rolled through grass, down an embankment, and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to its empennage. The pilot reported that the airplane did not experience any mechanical malfunctions or failures during the accident. She further stated that she may have taken too much time to transition the airplane for takeoff after landing and also thought that if she had committed to the takeoff, the airplane would have adequately cleared the trees.
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
What happened, in order
- Runway excursion during takeoff (rejected takeoff) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,400 hours in all; 1,377 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 1,279 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 15, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,125 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 16, 2011; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,560 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LWN Lawrence MA at 9:30 pm
- Destination: LWN Lawrence MA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 3,900 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 pm from LWM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.