American AA1 accident near Wiota, Iowa, November 14, 1983
On November 14, 1983 at about 10:00 pm local time, a American AA1, registered N5762L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wiota, Iowa. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 14, 1983 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Wiota, Iowa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American AA1 · all AA1s on the register
- Registration
- N5762L · no longer on the register · serial AA1-0162
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS IN CRUISE FLT AT APRX 2500 FT WHEN THE ENG LOST POWER. THE PLT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE ENG, BUT IT RAN ONLY MOMENTARILY, THEN QUIT AGAIN. THE BEST AVAILABLE PLACE FOR A FORCED LANDING WAS A MUDDY, PLOWED FIELD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE ACFT NOSED OVER ON THE SOFT TERRAIN. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED TO THE RIGHT TANK WHICH WAS FOUND EMPTY. FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE LEFT TANK.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,800 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 85 in the last 90 days; 4,250 as pilot in command; 11 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,409 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 27, 1983; 50 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: OSM Des Moines IA at 9:20 pm
- Destination: LNK Lincoln NE
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 8,000 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from OMA, 53 miles away
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.