Amateur-built AA-1C accident near Medford, New Jersey, July 10, 2001

The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record

According to a witness, the airplane was observed making a steep turn to a right base. During the turn, the airplane's tail abruptly went up, and the airplane entered a 2 1/2 spin to the right prior to impacting the ground. There was no evidence of a pre-existing mechanical failure or malfunction. According to the FAA publication Airplane Flying Handbook, section on accelerated stalls and cross control stalls, ...Stalls which result from abrupt maneuvers tend to be more rapid, or severe, than the unaccelerated stalls, and because they occur at higher-than-normal airspeeds, they may be unexpected by an inexperienced pilot. Failure to take immediate steps toward recovery when an accelerated stall occurs may result in a complete loss of flight control, notably, power-on spins... a cross control stall...is most apt to occur during a poorly planned and executed base-to-final approach turn...the airplane often stalls with little warning. The nose may pitch down, the inside wing may suddenly drop and the airplane may continue to roll to an inverted position...It is imperative that this type of stall not occur during an actual approach to a landing since recovery may be impossible prior to ground contact due to the low altitude...."

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.