Piper PA-28-161 and American AA-1A mid-air collision near Sebastian, Florida, February 3, 1990
On February 3, 1990 at about 3:47 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Piper PA-28-161 (N473FT) and American AA-1A (N9486L), were involved in a mid-air collision near Sebastian, Florida (Sebastian Muni airport). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE AA-1A PILOT TO SEE-AND-AVOID THE PIPER PA-28 WHICH HAD ENTERED TRAFFIC FIRST. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: FAILURE OF THE PA-28 PILOT TO SEE THE AMERICAN AA-1A, WHEN THE AA-1A WAS ON A BASE LEG AND THE PA-28 WAS FURTHER OUT ON FINAL APPROACH.
FAILURE OF THE AA-1A PILOT TO SEE-AND-AVOID THE PIPER PA-28 WHICH HAD ENTERED TRAFFIC FIRST. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: FAILURE OF THE PA-28 PILOT TO SEE THE AMERICAN AA-1A, WHEN THE AA-1A WAS ON A BASE LEG AND THE PA-28 WAS FURTHER OUT ON FINAL APPROACH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 3, 1990 · about 3:47 pm local time
- Place
- Sebastian, Florida · Sebastian Muni · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N473FT · no longer on the register · serial 28-8216222
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- American AA-1A · all AA-1As on the register
- Registration
- N9486L · no longer on the register · serial AA-1A-0286
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-28-161 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A MIDAIR COLLISION OCCURRED BETWEEN A PIPER PA-28, N473FT, & AN AMERICAN AA-1A, N9486L, AS THE 2 ACFT WERE ON FINAL APCH TO LAND ON RWY 13 AT AN UNCTLD ARPT. BOTH ACFT THEN CRASHED TO THE GROUND. THE PLT OF THE AA-1A SURVIVED THE ACDNT, BUT DUE TO INJURIES, HE COULD NOT RECALL DETAILS OF THE OCCURRENCE. THE AA-1A WAS INITIALLY IN LEFT TRAFFIC BEHIND THE PA-28. A CFI (IN TRAFFIC AHEAD OF BOTH ACFT) HEARD THE PA-28 PLT RPRT ON A 1-3/4 MI FINAL APCH. HE THEN HEARD THE AA-1A PLT RPRT ON BASE LEG. THEREAFTER, THE CFI HEARD THE AA-1A PLT RPRT TURNING ON A SHORT FINAL APCH & BECAME AWARE OF A POTENTIAL TRAFFIC CONFLICT. THE CFI THEN SAW THE AA-1A IN A LEFT TURN ON THE RGT SIDE OF THE FINAL APCH PATH, AS IF THE PLT HAD OVERSHOT THE TURN TO FINAL. ALSO, HE SAW THE PA-28 ON FINAL APCH. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE 2 ACFT CONVERGED & COLLIDED. DURING IMPACT, THE PROP & NOSEWHEEL OF THE AA-1A HIT THE EMPENNAGE OF THE PA-28.
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 NTSB's narrative for the American AA-1A final · quoted from the NTSB record
A MIDAIR COLLISION OCCURRED BETWEEN A PIPER PA-28, N473FT, & AN AMERICAN AA-1A, N9486L, AS THE 2 ACFT WERE ON FINAL APCH TO LAND ON RWY 13 AT AN UNCTLD ARPT. BOTH ACFT THEN CRASHED TO THE GROUND. THE PLT OF THE AA-1A SURVIVED THE ACDNT, BUT DUE TO INJURIES, HE COULD NOT RECALL DETAILS OF THE OCCURRENCE. THE AA-1A WAS INITIALLY IN LEFT TRAFFIC BEHIND THE PA-28, A CFI (IN TRAFFIC AHEAD OF BOTH ACFT) HEARD THE PA-28 PLT RPRT ON A 1-3/4 MI FINAL APCH. HE THEN HEARD THE AA-1A PLT RPRT ON BASE LEG. THEREAFTER, THE CFI HEARD THE AA-1A PLT RPRT TURNING ON A SHORT FINAL APCH & BECAME AWARE OF A POTENTIAL TRAFFIC CONFLICT. THE CFI THEN SAW THE AA-1A IN A LEFT TURN ON THE RGT SIDE OF THE FINAL APCH PATH, AS IF THE PLT HAD OVERSHOT THE TURN TO FINAL. ALSO, HE SAW THE PA-28 ON FINAL APCH. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE 2 ACFT CONVERGED & COLLIDED. DURING IMPACT, THE PROP & NOSEWHEEL OF THE AA-1A HIT THE EMPENNAGE OF THE PA-28.
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 for the Piper PA-28-161 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 147 hours in all; 49 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 107 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,986 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 21, 1989; 86 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D36 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PBI Palm Beach FL at 3:09 pm
- Destination: X-59 Valkaria FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 13, 4,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from VBR, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the American AA-1A from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 4,344 hours in all; 83 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 5,115 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,704 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 2, 1989; 94 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: X26 at 2:40 pm
- Destination: X26
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 4,000 ft by 150 ft
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.