American AA-5 accident near Annapolis, Maryland, August 23, 1996
On August 23, 1996 at about 5:30 pm local time, a American AA-5, registered N9525L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Annapolis, Maryland (Lee airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the pilot to maintain adequate airspeed after takeoff, which resulted in a stall and subsequent collision with water.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 23, 1996 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Annapolis, Maryland · Lee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American AA-5 · all AA-5s on the register
- Registration
- N9525L · no longer on the register · serial AA5-0525
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during takeoff climb, he started a left turn at 700 feet, then the engine lost power. He tried unsuccessfully to restart the engine, then he ditched the aircraft in a creek. According to witnesses, the aircraft climbed steeply after takeoff. Witnesses described the angle of climb as '...higher than average...' '...too steep...' and '...at least 45 degrees.' One witness stated, 'I thought he was taking off at too steep an angle of climb when I noticed he appeared to stall out and started to side slip to port and lose altitude rapidly.' Examination of the aircraft did not disclose evidence of a mechanical malfunction.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 300 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 160 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,040 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 15, 1995; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: MTN Baltimore MD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 2,505 ft by 48 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from ADW, 20 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.
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 IAD96LA139.