Amateur-built AA-5A accident near Flagstaff, Arizona, October 25, 1985
On October 25, 1985 at about 9:20 pm local time, a amateur-built AA-5A, registered N26714, was substantially damaged in an accident near Flagstaff, Arizona (Flagstaff airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- October 25, 1985 · about 9:20 pm local time
- Place
- Flagstaff, Arizona · Flagstaff · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AA-5A
- Registration
- N26714 · no longer on the register · serial AA5A0669
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT WHILE SIGHT-SEEING IN THE VICINITY OF THE GRAND CANYON, HE BECAME DISORIENTED AND LOST. THE FUEL IN THE LEFT TANK WAS EXHAUSTED AND THE RIGHT FUEL TANK CONTAINED MINIMUM FUEL. THE PILOT NEGOTIATED A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING ON THE HARD SURFACE ROAD AND DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE AIRCRAFT LEFT WING STRUCK A WIRE FENCE. THE PLT DID NOT REPORT ANY PRE-EXISTING MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES.
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: 106 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 75 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,850 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 26, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mark Dewey Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: SZP Santa Paula CA at 5:45 pm
- Destination: P32 Williams AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:54 pm from FLG, 10 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.