Amateur-built AA1 accident near Bishop, California, August 10, 1983
On August 10, 1983 at about 5:30 pm local time, a amateur-built AA1, registered N6105L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bishop, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. 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
- August 10, 1983 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bishop, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AA1
- Registration
- N6105L · registry record · serial 305
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT LANDED HARD DURING A FORCED LANDING AND COLLAPSED THE LANDING GEAR PILOT REPORTED THAT 10-15 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF HE EXPERIENCED PITCH CONTROL PROBLEMS. HE WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE ACFT AND MADE A FORCED LANDING STRAIGHT AHEAD. THE PILOT STATED THAT POSSIBLY HE HIT A BIRD BUT ALSO NOTED AFTER THE ACCIDENT THAT A BOLT ON THE ELEVATOR TRIM TAB LINKAGE WAS MISSING. MAINTENANCE RECORDS INDICATED THAT ON THE LAST 100 HOUR INSPECTION THE RUDDER, AILERON AND ELEVATOR CABLES WERE INSPECTED AND THE ELEVATOR BUNGEE HOUSING WAS INSPECTED AND NO DEFECTS FOUND. THIS INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED AT A TACH TIME OF 1068.3. THE TACK TIME AFTER THE ACCIDENT WAS 1127.74. NO EVIDENCE OF A BIRD STRIKE WAS FOUND DURING EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT.
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; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine
- Flight time: 1,553 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 1,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,128 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 6, 1983; 59 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BIH Bishop CA at 5:15 pm
- Destination: VGT Las Vegas NV
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from BIH, 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.
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.