American AA-1 accident near Hemet, California, June 4, 1988
On June 4, 1988 at about 5:50 am local time, a American AA-1, registered N6181L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hemet, California (Hemet airport). It was an instructional 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
- June 4, 1988 · about 5:50 am local time
- Place
- Hemet, California · Hemet · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American AA-1 · all AA-1s on the register
- Registration
- N6181L · no longer on the register · serial AAI-0381
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE LANDING WHILE ON A SOLO (INSTRUCTIONAL) NIGHT CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN, BOUNCED, AND VEERED LEFT. DURING THE SECOND BOUNCE BETWEEN THE RUNWAY AND THE TAXIWAY, THE PILOT ADDED POWER. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED IN A STRAIGHT PATH AND COLLIDED WITH A TETRAHEDRON. THERE WERE NO REPORTED MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS DURING THE ACCIDENT.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 90 hours in all; 90 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 58 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,180 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 24, 1987; 190 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,465 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CNO Chino CA at 5:00 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 4,315 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°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.