Amateur-built AA-1B accident near New River, Arizona, October 19, 1982
On October 19, 1982, a amateur-built AA-1B, registered N9897L, was substantially damaged in an accident near New River, Arizona (Pleasant Valley Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 19, 1982
- Place
- New River, Arizona · Pleasant Valley Airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AA-1B
- Registration
- N9897L · no longer on the register · serial AA1B-0497
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER ENTERING THE TRAFFIC PATTERN, THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED IN A STEEP DESCENDING TURN FROM DOWNWIND TO FINAL APPROACH. A WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE PILOT KEPT INCREASING THE BANK, WHILE TURNING TO FINAL, AS IF TO KEEP FROM OVERSHOOTING THE FINAL APPROACH COURSE. THE WITNESS DID NOT SEE THE PLANE CRASH, BUT STATED THAT THE NOSE CAME UP, JUST BEFORE HE LOST SIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT. HE REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE SOUNDED NORMAL PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. TRANSVERSE SCRAPE MARKS WERE FOUND ON THE PROPELLER AND ONE BLADE WAS BENT FORWARD. A TEARDOWN OF THE ENGINE WAS MADE, BUT NO PREIMPACT FAILURES WERE EVIDENT.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 996 hours in all; 370 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,560 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C Surprise AZ at 5:30 pm
- Destination: C New River AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5L, 4,000 ft by 158 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 176°F (80°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.