American Aviation AA1 accident near Knoxville, Tennessee, June 23, 2016
On June 23, 2016 at about 12:30 pm local time, a 1971 American Aviation AA1, registered N9341L, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Knoxville, Tennessee (Sky Ranch airport). 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 pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll in a quartering headwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 23, 2016 · about 12:30 pm local time
- Place
- Knoxville, Tennessee · Sky Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American Aviation AA1 A, built 1971 · all AA1s on the register
- Registration
- N9341L · no longer on the register · serial AA1A-0041
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot landed the airplane on a 2,100-ft-long, 150-ft-wide turf runway in a 15-knot right quartering headwind and lost control of the airplane after touchdown. The airplane departed the left side of the runway, proceeded in a straight line across a paved taxiway, struck a parked vehicle, and came to rest after impacting a hangar about 800 ft from the approach end of the runway. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation, nor did the pilot report any.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › (general) › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Residence/building › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 585 hours in all; 16 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 585 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,306 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 31, 2015; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,561 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TN98 Knoxville TN at 11:30 am
- Destination: TN98 Knoxville TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 2,100 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from KTYS, 4 miles away
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.