American AA-1 accident near Oasis, California, December 15, 1994
On December 15, 1994, a American AA-1, registered N6236L, was destroyed in an accident near Oasis, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's improper inflight decision by selecting an inadequate terrain clearance altitude over mountainous terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 15, 1994
- Place
- Oasis, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American AA-1 · all AA-1s on the register
- Registration
- N6236L · no longer on the register · serial 436
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND PASSENGER WENT ON A SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, AFTER FLYING FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES HE TURNED AWAY FROM LOW ELEVATION TERRAIN AND BEGAN FLYING 'LENGTHWISE OVER A PICTURESQUE CANYON.' THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AS THE ELEVATION OF THE TERRAIN INCREASED, HE APPLIED FULL ENGINE POWER AND BEGAN MANEUVERING AT THE BEST ANGLE OF CLIMB AIRSPEED. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT HE WAS NOT ABLE TO CLIMB OVER THE RISING TERRAIN. THE AIRPLANE CRASHED INTO THE BOX CANYON. NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WERE EXPERIENCED DURING THE FLIGHT.
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; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,135 hours in all; 394 in this make and model; 162 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 796 as pilot in command; 466 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,919 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 4, 1994; 45 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: PSP Palm Springs CA at 11:35 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.