Amateur-built AA5 accident near Visalia, California, May 16, 1993
On May 16, 1993 at about 3:15 am local time, a amateur-built AA5, registered N9520L, was destroyed in an accident near Visalia, California. 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 PILOT'S FAILURE TO SEE AND AVOID THE WIRES DUE TO ALCOHOL IMPAIRMENT. A FACTOR WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS UNWARRANTED LOW FLYING OVER THE RIVER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 16, 1993 · about 3:15 am local time
- Place
- Visalia, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AA5
- Registration
- N9520L · no longer on the register · serial 0520
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TRANSMISSION WIRES OVER A RIVER. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE CAUGHT ON FIRE AFTER COLLIDING WITH THE WIRES. THE PILOT LANDED THE AIRPLANE IN AN OPEN FIELD, AND IT WAS CONSUMED BY THE FIRE. A DEPUTY SHERIFF INVESTIGATING THE ACCIDENT NOTED A HEAVY ODOR OF ALCOHOL ON THE PILOT'S BREATH. THE PILOT WAS GIVEN A FIELD SOBRIETY TEST AT THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT AND LATER AT THE JAIL. HE FAILED THESE TESTS, AND THEN REFUSED TO TAKE A CHEMICAL BLOOD ALCOHOL TEST. WITH THE PERMISSION OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, BLOOD WAS FORCIBLY TAKEN FROM THE PILOT FOR A TOXICOLOGICAL EXAM. THE BLOOD SAMPLE WAS TAKEN ABOUT 2 HRS 35 MIN AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE RESULTS OF THE TEST WERE POSITIVE WITH A BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 0.12%.
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: 900 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 900 as pilot in command; 50 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,875 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 12, 1990; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TLR Tulare CA at 2:30 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 310° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 11,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 am from VIS, 5 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.