Amateur-built AA-1A accident near Shreveport, Louisiana, January 2, 2003
On January 2, 2003 at about 7:46 pm local time, a amateur-built AA-1A, registered N9226L, was destroyed in an accident near Shreveport, Louisiana (Shreveport Downtown Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed resulting in a stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 2, 2003 · about 7:46 pm local time
- Place
- Shreveport, Louisiana · Shreveport Downtown Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AA-1A
- Registration
- N9226L · no longer on the register · serial AA1A-0126
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The personal flight originated as a flight of two airplanes. The father of the passenger flying in the trail position was flying the lead airplane on a local formation flight. The pilot of a Cessna 120 departed first and kept looking back to observe the position of the trailing aircraft. During the climb out, the pilot of the lead airplane observed an airplane below and behind him entering a spin to the right. The lead pilot failed to recognize the spinning airplane as his trailing aircraft. After being unable to contact the trail airplane, the pilot contacted the tower and reported that the airplane may have gone down. The wreckage of the airplane was found in an open meadow within 4 miles of the departure end of the runway. Signatures of the damage sustained by the airplane were consistent with a flat spin to the right. The non-instrument rated private pilot had accumulated a total of 125 hours of flight, with approximately 50 hours in the accident airplane. The local fire department was alerted as to the possibility of an aircraft accident at 1359; however the aircraft was not located from the air until 1427, approximately 41 minutes after the accident. The airplane ELT was found in the off position with an expired battery. Flight control continuity was established to all flight control surfaces. The engine was satisfactorily ran for over 12 minutes following the recovery of the airplane. No anomalies were found with the engine or airplane that would have prevented normal operation. No evidence of an in-flight fire was found either on the airframe on the pilot. There was no evidence of an in-flight fire was found.
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: 125 hours in all; 50 in this make and model
- Last flight review: August 4, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,894.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 22, 2002; 16.1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: DTN Shreveport LA at 7:42 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 13 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,100 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from KDTN, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.