American AA-1 accident near Rosamond, California, August 12, 1996
On August 12, 1996 at about 6:00 pm local time, a American AA-1, registered N5616L, was destroyed in an accident near Rosamond, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight planning and his delayed decision to reverse the airplane's direction.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 12, 1996 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Rosamond, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American AA-1 · all AA-1s on the register
- Registration
- N5616L · no longer on the register · serial AA1-0018
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that he was attempting to cross a high altitude mountain pass, but the airplane's climb capability was diminished due to the prevailing high density altitude. The pilot reversed the direction to begin a circling climb, but the airplane struck a tree. A nearby resident found the pilot and wreckage about 30 hours after the accident. The pilot said that the airplane's engine operated normally and that the airplane did not experience any preimpact 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: 300 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,465 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WJF Lancaster CA at 5:45 pm
- Destination: 3S8 Grants Pass OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:30 pm from WJF, 30 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.