Amateur-built AA-1B accident near Westlake, California, January 15, 1989
On January 15, 1989, a amateur-built AA-1B, registered N7174L, was destroyed in an accident near Westlake, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER PLANNING AND DECISION BY THE PILOT WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: FAULTY FUEL INDICATION, UTILITY POLE & UNEVEN TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 15, 1989
- Place
- Westlake, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AA-1B
- Registration
- N7174L · no longer on the register · serial AA1B-0454
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BEFORE REACHING THE DESTINATION ARPT, THE ENG LOST POWER. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENG, BUT WAS UNABLE. SHE MANEUVERED TO LAND ON A ROADWAY & REMAINED OVER THE MEDIAN AS LONG AS POSSIBLE TO AVOID VEHICLES. DRG THE LANDING, THE RIGHT WING HIT A UTILITY POLE NEXT TO THE CURB OF THE ROADWAY & THE WING WAS TORN OFF THE ACFT. THE ACFT THEN WENT DOWN AN EMBANKMENT & CAME TO REST INVERTED. AFTER THE ACDNT, THE PLT RPRTD THE ACFT HAD RUN OUT OF FUEL, WHILE THE GAUGE OF THE FULLEST TANK WAS INDICATING 1/4 FULL.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,212 hours in all; 1,175 as pilot in command; 206 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 9, 1987; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,560 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L18 Fallbrook CA
- Destination: CMA Camarillo CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Observation at 11:46 pm from OXR
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.