American AG5B accident near Longmont, Colorado, June 24, 1996
On June 24, 1996 at about 2:45 am local time, a American AG5B, registered N227ER, was destroyed in an accident near Longmont, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An inadvertent stall spin. Factors were the pilot's intentional maneuver at an altitude insufficient to ensure a safe recovery, and overconfidence in his personal ability.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 24, 1996 · about 2:45 am local time
- Place
- Longmont, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American AG5B
- Registration
- N227ER · no longer on the register · serial 10114
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the passenger, the pilot said the 'impossible turn' was not impossible and that he would demonstrate. The pilot pulled back the throttle and made a 20 degree left bank without lowering the nose. The airplane stalled and 'porpoised' to the ground. According to the pilot, at an altitude between 700 and 900 feet agl, he reduced power 'a few hundred' rpm to simulate a power loss, and lowered the nose. The stall warning sounded and the airplane entered a right spin. The pilot was able to recover, but the airplane entered a left spin. The pilot was again able to stop the spin, but the airplane 'wobbled' and collided with terrain.
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: 280 hours in all; 230 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,160 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 20, 1996; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2V2 at 2:45 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 290° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:45 am from BJC, 19 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.