American Aviation Corp. (Aac) AA-1A accident near Santa Paula, California, July 13, 1986
On July 13, 1986 at about 8:00 am local time, a American Aviation Corp. (Aac) AA-1A, registered N6339L, was destroyed in an accident near Santa Paula, California (Santa Paula airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
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
- July 13, 1986 · about 8:00 am local time
- Place
- Santa Paula, California · Santa Paula · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- American Aviation Corp. (Aac) AA-1A
- Registration
- N6339L · no longer on the register · serial AA1A-0339
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER WORKING FOR OVER 13.5 HOURS THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO FLY 160 MILES TO HIS HOME. THE 1.3 HOUR FLT WAS INITIATED BETWEEN 0100 AND 0200. IT WAS A DARK NIGHT AND ACCORDING TO PERSONS IN THE ACCIDENT AREA A 200-400 FT BROKEN/OVERCAST CLOUD LAYER WAS PRESENT. THERE IS NO PUBLISHED INSTRUMENT APCH FOR THE PLTS DESTINATION ARPT. SUFFICIENT FUEL WAS ON BOARD FOR A DIVERSION TO AN ALTERNATE ARPT, BUT THE PLT CONTINUED INTO SANTA PAULA. THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH 28 DEG UPSLOPING TERRAIN AT AN ALT OF 800 FT MSL, APRX 2 MILES FROM THE ARPT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 8, 1986; 76 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: L39 Ramona CA at 6:30 am
- Destination: SZP Santa Paula CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 2,650 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from NTD, 14 miles away
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.