Amateur-built AA-1B accident near Boulder, Colorado, August 20, 1996
On August 20, 1996 at about 7:10 pm local time, a amateur-built AA-1B, registered N6505L, was destroyed in an accident near Boulder, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's poor judgment in attempting low altitude flight in mountainous terrain without adequate mountain flying training which led to low altitude maneuvering exceeding the climb capability of the airplane. Factors in the accident were: the pilot's overconfidence in his personal ability, lack of experience in flying in mountainous terrain, lack of familiarity with the geographic area, and the mountainous and canyon-featured terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 20, 1996 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Boulder, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AA-1B
- Registration
- N6505L · registry record · serial AA1B-0305
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Numerous witnesses at about 7,000 feet elevation observed the airplane flying at low altitude in mountainous terrain. The airplane struck power lines and trees while attempting to climb through a steep narrow canyon. The pilot possessed a student pilot certificate and was carrying his son as a passenger. He had recently moved to Colorado from Long Island, New York. The pilot's flight instructor, who had ferried the airplane from Long Island to Colorado, cautioned him that his airplane 'was not good for Colorado' because it was underpowered. The instructor also 'strongly encouraged' the pilot to get a mountain checkout. A low level of tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid (active metabolite of marijuana) was detected in the pilot's blood. The same substance was detected in the passenger's urine.
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: student
- Flight time: 330 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 1996
- Maximum gross weight: 1,560 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 1V5 CO at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 27,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:48 pm from BJC, 11 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.
Other NTSB records under N6505L the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 FTW96FA352.