American AA-1 accident near Fort Meade, Maryland, February 8, 2015
On February 8, 2015 at about 7:07 pm local time, a 1970 American AA-1, registered N6116L, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Fort Meade, Maryland (Tipton Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The mechanic’s failure to detect the incorrect dry valve tappet clearances while troubleshooting ongoing engine issues, which resulted in partial loss of engine power during takeoff. Contributing to the partial loss of engine power was the mechanic's failure to inspect the dry tappet clearances in accordance with the engine operator's manual and a referenced service instruction.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 8, 2015 · about 7:07 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Meade, Maryland · Tipton Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American AA-1, built 1970 · all AA-1s on the register
- Registration
- N6116L · no longer on the register · serial AA1-0316
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot reported that, during the 4 months before the accident, the airplane had experienced ongoing engine issues, including engine roughness. Maintenance personnel were informed about the engine roughness, and a mechanic attributed the problem to the ignition system and subsequently replaced components of the system. The pilot reported that the purpose of the flight was to verify that the previous repairs made to eliminate the engine roughness had resolved the problem. The pilot performed a thorough preflight inspection and a full-power engine run-up and noted no discrepancies. During the initial climb, when the airplane was about 250 ft above ground level, the engine rpm decreased from 2,500 to 1,500 and then increased to 1,900. The pilot's attempts to restore engine power were unsuccessful. The airplane impacted treetops and then came to rest on the ground inverted. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that all of the dry valve tappet clearances were less than prescribed by indications on the engine data plate. The reported loss of engine power and engine roughness was consistent with the valve clearances being incorrectly adjusted. The engine operator's manual and a nonmandatory service instruction (SI) referenced in the manual specify that the tappet clearances should be checked every 100 hours of operation. A review of the maintenance logbooks revealed that the last check of the tappet clearances was performed in accordance with the SI about 224 hours, or about 7 years 7 months, before the accident by the same mechanic who had been troubleshooting the recent engine issues. If the mechanic had checked the dry tappet clearances while troubleshooting the ongoing engine issues, it is likely that he would have detected the incorrect dry tappet clearances and properly resolved the ongoing engine issues.
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
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
- Loss of engine power (partial) during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Maintenance personnel
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Incorrect service/maintenance
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,900 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 4,700 as pilot in command; 2,500 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 3, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,441.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 16, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FME Fort Meade MD at 7:07 pm
- Destination: FME Fort Meade MD
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 28, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 7:15 pm from FME
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA15LA123.